FINLAND – Tempers boiled over at the latest round of playoff games in the Finnish SM-Liiga. Perhaps the most explosive example of tempers boiling over was not seen on the ice, but off it in a post game press conference after the latest Pelicans – Karpat game.
Pelicans’ colourful head coach, Kai Suikkanen was far from pleased with the refereeing in the game. The referee duo Antti Boman and Aleksi Rantala learned exactly what Suikkanen thought of their calling of the game, which saw Karpat claim a 2-1 series lead in the best of seven series.
“This is unbelievable. There are currently four top-level ice hockey games on in Finland and they send that kind of (expletive deleted) referee?” Suikkanen said in the post game press conference. “They insist on sending some excuse of a referee who has never called a single good game.”
In the game however, Pelicans were in control of the game, but failed to convert on their opportunities, leaving the keys to Karpat. The turning point of the game was a turnover caused by veteran defence man Jan Latvala who let Joonas Donskoi get away to score the game winning goal whilst shorthanded.
Karpat eventually won the game 1-4.
Last year’s champions, HIFK are hanging on a tight rope in the playoffs after falling to local rivals Jokerit, 2-1.
HIFK is now down 3-0 in the best of seven series and no team in the SM-Liiga history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. Jokerit received the game winning goal from a 17-year-old Teuvo Teravainen, who sniped the puck past Thomas Endras’ blocker.
Jokerit is not the only team with a chance for a sweep as JYP and KalPa are closing in on a series sweep as well. JYP, who has been playing against Assat has been dominant in the series and won the last game 4-3.
While KalPa went on the demolish Espoon Blues 5-0 in the last meeting. KalPa received a natural hat trick from winger Tuomas Kiiskinen.
The next game in the schedule is the relegation/promotion playoff game between Ilves – Vaasan Sport, which is to be played on the 27.03.12
Contact the author: janne.virtanen@prohockeynews.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Amateur_hockey
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