Lukko sent HPK on a summer holiday by winning 3–0 in Rauma on Thursday and playing 2–2 in Hämeenlinna on Friday. A score of 4 to 1 in two games took Luko to the next.
The lock is chasing another consecutive championship. Elmeri Elo / AOP
HPK had a great chance to take the lead off the post after Luko’s opening goal Michael Joly played a vacancy Arttu Pelli. Pelli fired a puck into Luko’s goal post and the game ended there.
– Eyes were taken. I saw the puck not go in, Luko’s goalkeeper Lassi Lehtinen joked about the dramatic end.
HPK did not let the Lock go easily.
– This was quite a game like on Thursday in Rauma. However, HPK got tougher now and put us tight, 23-year-old Lehtinen said.
The lock led the match 1-0 and 2-1, but HPK reached the levels twice.
Korona bullied
Last season, Lehtinen led Luko as champion and was deservedly chosen as the best goalkeeper and All Stars fighter in the Finnish Championship League, as his defensive percentage and average goals scored were the best in the series.
This season has been challenging for Lehtinen as for the entire Luko team.
– There have been ups and downs. The team has had a coronavirus that has raged twice, there have been injuries and the CHL caused extra games and travel, Lehtinen, who once suffered from a corona, said.
IT chores
Lassi Lehtinen rejected Luko in the semi-finals. Elmeri Elo / AOP
Lehtinen has shared responsibility for control first Samuel Jukurin and the rest of the season Artyom Zagidulinin with.
– The mood has been maintained by training and waiting for the turn. At the same time, I have done IT chores in the exchange during the games, Lehtinen said.
For Lukko, yesterday’s HPK match was fourth in five days. The semi-final series against Tappara will start on Monday in Tampere, so the two midfielders will be in need in Rauma.
– It’s been hard, so a little rest is needed now. The field players in particular have been tough, so now we have to rest for a couple of days, Lehtinen said.
New still life
Last spring, Lukko won the regular season and cleared Ilves 3–1 in the opening round of the playoffs.
In the semi-finals, Tappara was met, who also got bored with a win of 3-1.
– Now the situation is the opposite of last spring, when Tappara is the winner of the regular season. But that doesn’t change anything, we start from 0–0, Lehtinen said.
“Parts change”
Lock head coach Marko Virtanen was relieved after securing a continuation.
– The stakes were high, and coincidence still plays a big role when only two wins are played. We knew HPK would beat everything. If we had gotten in from our own finish line earlier, it would have made it easier, Virtanen said.
Last spring, Virtanen led Luko’s A-youth to become the Finnish champion. Now he should continue as a champion coach Pekka Virran the road signposted.
– Now the parts will change when we start challenging Tappara, Virtanen said, referring to the situation last spring.