After the dramatic stages, HIFK sought a 4–3 overtime victory from Turku and moved to a 2–1 lead in the match series.
HIFK’s Olli Palola hit the opening goal behind Andrei Karejev. TPS defender Elmeri Eronen (right) moved the solution to the extra round with two hits at the end of the third round. Jaakko Stenroos / AOP
- The match series continues on Saturday in Helsinki.
- Four wins are required for the semi-finals.
– Similar tearing and grating as in previous games, HIFK Olli Palola described, compared to the opening of the semi-finals, which TPS took on a score of 2-0, and HIFK on Tuesday, which also took a 4-3 win in extra time.
The third match was a real robbery, as TPS controlled the events almost sovereignly.
With HIFK moving to a 2-0 lead in a few minutes after the middle of the second set, TPS took 44-19 shots at that point.
TPS was sharper and more greedy in the struggles, but the accuracy of the hit left much to be desired: it “led” 18–3 passes.
Palola’s opening goal gave the match direction.
– Good to have helped that way today, he rejoiced.
Andrei Karejev had repelled a delusion on his mattress at the end of the Palola run, but an experienced attacker lifted his soot for the second time with the TPS guard after reaching through the same mattress as a puck bounce.
Palola’s curriculum vitae includes two leagues for the league (2014 and -15) and a win in the playoffs (2015).
– Whenever a feeling is released when a goal is scored, the 33-year-old striker described.
Moved to Helsinki under the transfer border Miikka Salomäki increased the away lead with the first goal he scored in the HIFK shirt before the TPS captain Juhani Jasu narrowed at the end of the second installment.
Erosen’s trick
The match seemed to be settled when Jere Innala eight minutes before the final batch buzzer took half a run through the HIFK 3-1 lead.
Then he stepped forward Elmeri Eronen. The TPS defender, who last scored a playoff goal four years ago, finished two hits in the final five minutes.
The narrowing resulted from a loose puck at the end of a direct attack.
TPS sought a draw without a goalkeeper, and in a time of 59.48 it was delayed.
Markus Nurmen the shot bounced off the HIFK kit Kasper Kotkansalon the foot, the end of the trough, the side of the goal, and finally the goalkeeper Niilo Halonen through the butt almost to the finish line in front of an empty goal.
Defender who came in first Rony Ahonen to Eros’s misfortune directly to Eros: 3–3 and the solution went on.
– It was already a bit in my own hands, but this is how it feels pretty good, Palola was happy to refer to Innala’s superiority goal, which ended the match in 70.32.
Innala rose 2 + 1 past Erosen to become a power player in the match.
– The main thing is that the mortgage was dug out of this. Nothing but an old classic: forward, Palola summed up.
Gold is missing
HIFK’s previous championship is 11 years old, so there is enough hunger. The same can be said of Palola, who has medals for many starts, but lacks gold.
After the bronze in Luko in 2011, he won three consecutive silver medals in Tappara in 2013–15. In addition, he holds World Championship silver from 2014 and SHL silver from Växjö last season.
– A lot has been seen in the finals, and there has always been silver. This is a playoff cliché, but here you can think of nothing but the next game, Palola answered the question about the gold rush.
– If you start thinking too much, things will end pretty quickly.
Palola is right. HIFK cannot afford to go ahead, as despite its loss-making position, TPS has shown its danger.
On Thursday, it would have earned a profit, but those are not counted. Only goals are counted.