Based on the first two finals of the league, Tappara’s clearest competitive advantage can be found in goal scoring, writes Vesa Parviainen.
Veli-Matti Savinainen in his office in front of Patrik Bartošák. Stock photo. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
And now I’m not talking about the goalkeepers, even though Pelicans’ Patrik Bartošák had to be replaced after the fifth comeback goal in Wednesday’s final opening. On Friday, the Czech was full of iron again in front of the home crowd and was no worse than Christian Heljanko, who kept a clean sheet.
It’s a matter of goal-scoring play that reflects fighting strength.
Already during the final series, there was talk of Tappara’s stupidity compared to the younger and on average lighter Pelicans, and the first goal of the second game aptly reflected that.
Tappara’s captain Otto Rauhala, who played almost a hundred playoff matches, positioned himself in front of Bartosak, and Pelicans’ 20-year-old top defender Topias Vilén’s attempt to move the man to the side was unacceptably shy. Rauhala thanked and skilfully directed the shot from the blue between his legs into the backpack.
Tappara attacks a lot by using the puck in the line, and when kuti leaves, there is always a mask in the goal. Every time.
The vast majority of ax attackers dare to drive grief to the goal, but of course Veli-Matti Savinainen’s skills in that area are a chapter of their own.
Savinainen has gotten a fighting partner from the sane Ben Blood, to whom she won’t give up an inch. Not even in spite of being half a head shorter and twenty kilos lighter. On Friday, Blood ended up headfirst into the goal for once, because Savinainen is not content only to take a hit, but he also gives it back with a tap and maliciously.
The difference to Lahti’s attacks is striking: even when shots are raining down, Heljanko, who sees the puck well, usually saves it easily.
There are no goal-scoring support measures, and there is not enough traffic in front of the goal.
Among the Pelicans forwards, Lars Bryggman would be a player in the same role as Savinainen, but the Swede’s contribution has remained poor in this comparison.
Dominance in front of goals is naturally reflected in special situations.
Tappara leads the goals in the final series 7–1. It has scored one goal at the end, one with the upper hand and one during a postponed penalty.
The Pelicans have not been successful once, even though they have been able to play it much more than Tappara. When Ben Thomas’s 20-minute game is left out of the calculations, Tappara’s first-mentioned ice hockey minutes are 15-8.
The skating-strong Pelicans has controlled the flow of the game from time to time, but without a big improvement in the struggles of the goal line, it is not worth dreaming of the championship.