KooKoo, which is at the bottom of the series, claimed two points from Pori.
Ben Tardif was able to score a 1-1 equalizer. Elmeri Elo / AOP
KooKoo, who got off to a sticky start to the Ice Hockey Championship league season, took a big win on Wednesday in Pori, when the team beat Ässät 4–3 after the shootout.
The loss was a heavy disappointment for Ässi, as the team was leading Juuso Ikonen with a goal scored in 48:14, the match was already 3–1.
Even before, Ässät had been fooling around, because KooKoon Ben Tardif was able to score a 1-1 equalizer with only three seconds left in the first period.
– A bit short of a game. In my opinion, the opponent was clearly ahead today. Still, we hung on to the result fairly well. When you’re a little short, there’s quite often such banter, like now at the end of the first set. Quite an incomprehensible goal, Ässie head coach Jere Härkälä said at a press conference.
Härkälä was probably referring to the fact that Ässi had the puck behind his own goal with eight seconds left in the first period. Defender Libor Zabransky pass by the center forward Kasperi Ojantakanen between the starting points, and KooKoo was able to steal the puck and score. With a smarter game, Ässät could have just wrapped up the set in the lead position.
– We fooled around a lot, Härkälä said.
Also KooKoo’s head coach Olli Salo was of the opinion that, based on the events on the field, the readings of the match could have been even more favorable for KooKoo in the actual game time.
– Our game is getting a little better, but I still expect a lot more from our players. We need all the guys to get the game going. We have to get rid of easy goals, but I am satisfied, Salo said.