Kärpät beat JYP 5–4.
Ville Mäntymaa jumped from second coach to first when Lauri Marjamäki got fired. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
Ville Mäntymaan the third match as Kärppie’s head coach brought the first victory. JYP bowed out in Raksila in overtime.
– In Aitio, on the court, sometimes my stomach hurt and sometimes it was exciting to watch, Mäntymaa expressed the mood at the press conference.
– This was a very important victory for us. We saw an opportunity and always believed in doing it ourselves.
JYP jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period, as well as in the first minute of the third period.
– The solution and the key to victory was how we came to the second set and how we were ready to throw ourselves into the hole, interpreted Mäntymaa.
– Suddenly, the opponent led again with two goals at the beginning of the third period. It was still possible to get up from there.
Kärpät pushed to level in the middle of the final set by Connor Bunnaman and Atte Ohtama with hits. Arttu Hyry shot the solution at the foot of the back post right at the beginning of extra time.
– The end result is sad. We were at it today and even on the edge of victory, JYP head coach Mikko Heiskanen uttered.
– It still didn’t last. Was it mental or physical or what, when the little one’s foot always slipped off the gas.
Heiskanen has been the head coach of JYP for two matches. The first also ended in defeat.