– A really big gut punch from us, HIFK’s head coach Ville Peltonen said directly when the team had bowed out in Turku with 1-3 goals.
Golden helmet Markus Nurmi has sunk TPS’s third goal behind HIFK keeper Niko Hovisen. Jaakko Stenroos / AOP
– Not an identity game at all. Reluctant and bureaucratic presentation, Ville Peltonen continued his tirade dully.
– There hasn’t been quite the same reception this season.
The loss was HIFK’s third in a row and fifth in the last six games. The team still continues in fourth place in the league.
Jasu took the reins
Juhani Jasu (right) has directed the opening goal of the evening. Kalle Väisanen (left) later scored another. Jaakko Stenroos / AOP
On Tuesday, TPS, which was zeroed out by Sport, washed its face in front of its home crowd and moved up two places in the table, to eighth.
Juhani Jasu ended his nine-match scoreless streak and raised his season output to 3+6=9.
– Goals are always a big deal for anyone. I said after the morning ice cream that for me the best morning ice cream of the season. Is it a threat or an opportunity? The guys were a bit of the opinion that there might be a threat, but apparently there was a chance, Jasu elaborated.
The numbers foreshadow the season balance of 10–20 points familiar to the 36-year-old TPS captain. He has been knocking on roughly that fork like a factory guarantee his entire long league career, which started in the 2006–07 season at his breeding club Rauma Luko.
The record (15+6=21) was set in the 2018–19 season, when Jasu represented Tappara.
As you can tell from the points, they are like a nice bonus on top of Jasu’s work for the team. His true worth is measured elsewhere.
Jasu is a reliable so-called two-way center and an underpowered attacker, whom the coaching team is happy to send to the rink even in the decisive moments of even games.
A good picture of Jasu’s strengths was given by his 1–0 lead goal. As a strong starter, he twisted the puck to the TPS from the start of the offensive zone, drove to the goal in the mask and guided the defender Sisu-Petteri Lehtonen a shot in the backpack.
Also Kalle Väisänen The 2–0 hit was preceded by Jasu’s opening win, and he was credited with the second assist.
– Sometimes it produces goals and sometimes not. Fortunately, two important goals came from them today, Jasu was happy.
The defense tightens
Something about Jasu’s value to the team is shown by his eight SM medals, two of which are gold. He won them in Tappara in 2016 and -17.
At TPS, Jasu has had a silver medal hung around his neck in two consecutive finals spring 2021 and -22.
So far, this season has not promised the shine of a medal, but everything is still possible in the spring.
– We started the season well, Jasu pointed to the streak of six wins that TPS built right away at the top.
However, it gave a too positive picture of the team’s attacking ability, and since then, hard work has returned to the TPS camp. The team is fighting for playoff spots in the extremely even middle class of the League.
– It was imagined that just attacking is enough to win, but of course the longer the season goes on, the tighter the defenses. We have begun to realize that our defense also needs to tighten up if we want to win games – especially the further into the spring we go.