Pekka Virta explains the tight match of the Lions.
Many could be surprised when the Lions’ team, filled with NHL stars, struggled for 40 minutes against hockey’s lilliput Hungary. After two sets, the score was only 2-1 for Finland, before Leijonat woke up and scored five more goals in the final set.
Iltalehti’s ice hockey expert Pekka Virta offers a simple explanation for the bleak-looking performance.
– Of course, some were already worried about how the game would end. But still: Finland plays the same hockey throughout the Games. Finland doesn’t even press against smaller countries, even though the material is much better, Virta knows.
– In the first set, Finland struggled and came with delayed starts as usual.
Leijonat plays so-called Game 7 hockey in the first group as well, i.e. the playoff game that is completely safe in the deciding games. With the same recipe, Jukka Jalonen has brought gold to Finland for several years already.
– The starting situation is to prevent the opponent from scoring. We don’t play to win or force the game, so to speak, Virta says.
Rambling doesn’t help
The appearance of the Lions’ game seemed to change completely at the second halftime break, but in fact, the match’s sloppiness was probably more due to Hungary’s laziness. According to Virra, Jalonen hardly ran amok in the dressing room.
– Yes, there’s probably a lot of discussion there anyway. There are a lot of players and coaches who know each other. The conversation also works from player to player. The coach’s lone rant will lead nowhere, says Luko’s master coach.
In the final set, Leijonat had successes on a wide front. That’s good for the final tournament.
– Rarely is a person terribly creative, cunning or quick when in pain. If we got more joy in the sweater thanks to this batch, it can help tomorrow, for example, says Virta.