Johan Sundström scored two goals as Sport secured their playoff spot, but it was Erik Riska whose name was shouted by the crowd after the game.
Erik Riska was the center of the celebration in Vaasa. Stock photo. Elmeri Elo / AOP
- Sport icon Riska, 34, ends his extensive playing career this season.
- Sport’s 3–2 win over Äss in front of a crazy home crowd ensured that Riskan’s games will continue in the playoffs.
Played the most Liiga and Mestis matches in the Sport shirt (730 in total). Erik Riska followed the opening ceremonies of the match with his eyes wet with the wonderful tifo he received from the packed Sundom Stå fan stand.
In the final set, Sport presented an elegant video greeting to Riska during a break in the game, in which his family and parents were able to speak.
At the end of the great fight, Riska was the center of the ecstatic celebration of the sold-out Vaasan Sähkö arena.
In the regular season, Sport’s Vice-Captain scored 8+10=18, the record points of his 11-season league career.
Riska, who served as Sport’s captain for a large part of his career, is not so much known as a scorer, but as a reliable and aggressive attacker who works in two directions, whose contribution the Vaasa audience can appreciate.
It called out his name rhythmically, and Riska responded by giving a thank you speech to the supporters.
– You cannot understand how big a deal this is for me and my family, he said emotionally.
Forever thankful
Riska also thanked her family and parents profusely in an interview with MTV. At the same time, he told what kind of feelings giving the speech evoked.
– It is really difficult when you get such a reception. It’s so rare in the pool or in sports for that matter that it gets so much love. I will forever be grateful, Riska expressed.
– It was tough, but a very, very great match from the team, he continued with relief.
An even fight
The match in the amazing atmosphere of Kuparisaari – even in a storm of screams – was a real show of excitement.
In the opening set, the puck bounced with superior power into the Ässie goal on the skates of two spade players, Sport by Axel Holmström hand and finally the goalkeeper Niklas Rubin through kickback. However, the hit was ruled out by hand based on the video investigation.
Holmström repaired the damage at the beginning of the second period by directing the defender Teemu Suhonen a shot this time with the stick between Rubin’s legs and into the goal.
Five minutes later, Sport doubled their lead when the Swedish striker by Johan Sundström the line went through the crowd of players in front of the goal and into the net.
Aces narrowed it down also from a blue puck delivered to the goal, when the masked man Eemil Erholtz directed Aleksi Heimosalmen the Sport guard of the shot Miroslav Svobodan behind.
The method, which was found to be working, spawned a fourth hit at the beginning of the final set. Rami Määtä shot out of the blue, and caught his shoulder Jan-Mikael Järvinen directed the citizens of Porir to the levels.
The solution came four minutes before the end, in 56:03, when Sundström swept a loose puck that bounced in front of the goal into the backpack: 3–2, and the hall that was rebuilt a few years ago was torn from its joints.
Ghostbusters
Aces didn’t give up easily. It switched Rubin to the sixth fielder at the end and pressed furiously.
Twenty seconds before the end, the defender Aleksi Matinmiko the puck from the blue line seemed to sink behind Svoboda, who was already wearing a mask, but the Czech keeper stretched into a phenomenal ghost booth.
Kongi – or in this case the buzzer – saved Sport and the head coach Risto Dufvan career extension. Like Riska, Dufva also ends his wonderful career this season.
The investment paid off
Without taking anything away from Aces, we can say that Sport has earned the third playoff spot in its club history.
Although the team’s situation still looked difficult in the middle of winter, the financially strapped club did not go for clearance sales like last season.
On the contrary, even at risk, it did everything for the players and strengthened its ranks with the Czech center at the transfer deadline. by Martin Hanzl.
In the first round of the playoffs starting on Friday, Sport will face KalPa. Kuopio has the home advantage in the best-of-three series, but Sport won the last three of the four matches in the regular season.