SaiPa has never won in the Nokia Arena.
Otto Kivenmäki is one embodiment of SaiPa’s new arrival. The second knee puck player has scored 5+0 points in the last five games. In total, the 24-year-old attacker has scored 10+16 points in 28 games this season. AOP / VESA PÖPPÖNEN
The SM league’s top team SaiPa will try to extend its fairytale winning streak of 14 matches on Monday evening in Tampere as a guest of Ilves.
It’s not easy, because Ilves is also a hot team and has won seven of their previous nine matches.
In the second period, in 4:48, SaiPa took a 0–1 lead. Norwegian Viktor Granholm scored the goal. Ville Petman and Mikko Kousa passed the hit, which was born with the upper hand.
Ilves’ star player Eemeli Suomi served a 2+2 minute penalty during the goal. Juuso Heikkilä was sitting in the SaiPal box.
Already in the first period, SaiPa got the puck into the goal in 7:17. Mikko Petman hit the puck from high in the air. The referees checked the situation on video and the goal was rejected as a high stick.
SaiPa is looking for its first victory in Nokia Arena. The puck pride of Lappeenranta has not won a single game in Areena. The Nokia Arena was opened on December 3, 2021 with a match between Tappara and Ilves.
In the league table, SaiPa is first with 57 points and Ilves is fifth with 50 points.
The special feature of the game is that league leader SaiPa is coached by Tampere-based Ilves legend Raimo Helminen.
Parikka made history
Jarkko Parikka has cleaned Ilves’ goal post since 2015. AOP / MIKA KYLMÄNIEMI
Jarkko Parikka, 27, is now the defender who has played the most matches in Ilves’ long history. The Ketterän native of Imatra will play the 458th league game of his career in an Ilves shirt on Monday.
Parikka played his first game in Ilves at the end of 2015.
17 years old Ossi Tukio played the first league game of his career in Ilves. The youngster’s father, Arto Tukio, played a total of 497 league games for Ilves and Jokers.