Ässät picked up a place in the quarterfinals at the end of the five-game series.
Jarno Pikkarainen’s Ässät defeated Jyrki Aho Kiekko-Espoo by 3–2. MIKA KYLMÄNIEMI / AOP
Did it already look like the Ässie’s hold on the quarter-final spot is slipping away?
In the first two matches, Aces bounced back from a losing position to draw and overtime wins, but Kiekko-Espoo took the third and fourth by 5–2 and 4–1.
In Thursday night’s deciding match, Ässät broke the 3–0 lead in seven minutes, won by the home crowd, and finally rolled to a 5–2 victory.
– The defeat shook Kiekko-Espoo’s coach Jyrki Aho crystallized at the press conference.
– The opponent started the way they start in Pori and was still extremely efficient in their positions. Unfortunately, I was a bit afraid of such a start.
Aho exorcises the slips of the first match from the jumps. Kiekko-Espoo led with two more goals towards the end of the final set.
– Rarely has it hurt as much as after that first match. It should have been drilled, but the third set was classless from us.
– We still came [sarjassa] to the levels and came here with strong faith that something would be gained from this as well.
“Excellent lot”
Jarno Pikkarainen beat Aces to the quarterfinals. MIKA KYLMÄNIEMI / AOP
Aces coach Jarno Pikkarainen saw his team play “the best match of the series in the right seam”.
– The first set was excellent: with the puck and without the puck and in every way, he mused.
– The second set had its challenges. Even though we took a 4-0 lead, it wasn’t a 4-0 game.
Pikkarainen emphasized the importance of calm during stoppage time.
– The biggest problem is that you overexert yourself and overcharge. The point is to get the right relaxation, determination and emotional state – and it doesn’t come by accident that the beginning is important.
Aces will face SaiPa in the quarter-final series. The series starts on Saturday in Lappeenranta and continues on Tuesday in Pori.
