Ilves losing streak continued also in Pori in the game against Ässät. A goal in the first period gave reason for hope, but from the second period on the opponents took over and achieved a 4-1 home victory.
Ilves leads the first period
The game started well, with Joni Ikonen scoring a goal for Ilves within the first 10 minutes. Both teams entered the game strongly and were not squeamish on the ice, which led to several expulsions to the penalty box. Thus, both Ilves and Ässät were alternately outnumbered, but these situations did not lead to another goal. Ikonen’s goal therefore remained the only one in the first period.
The opponent strikes back
In the second period, an equalizer from the opponents was not long in coming. In 25:17 Ässät’s Roni Hirvonen maneuvered the puck through Ilves’ defense to make the score 1-1. After an altercation, both teams temporarily played 4-on-4 whereby an attacking opportunity briefly arose for Santeri Airola. Once in possession of the puck, he raced alone towards the opponent’s goal, past the defenders, but Ässät’s goalie wouldn’t let the puck get through. After that, the hosts regained the puck and started an attack on Ilves’ goal, but Eetu Mäkiniemi in the goal made a few more important saves.
Shortly after, however, Ilves was outnumbered for 2 minutes and could not block Sebastian Wännström’s shot, which gave the opponents the lead in 30:01. From then on Ilves still had a few good chances, but instead, the momentum gradually swung in favor of the home team. In 31:43 Kasper Kotkansalo from the opposing team fought his way through a tangle of players in front of Ilves’ goal and scored the third goal for Ässät. Ilves increased the intensity in the last minutes of the second period, but Ässät did not rest on their previous success and rigorously defended their side of the field, ending the second period with a 3-1.
All efforts remain fruitless
Despite the current score, Ilves entered the ice confident and seemed determined to turn the game around. At the same time, the home team had not lost any of their speed and fighting spirit. Mäkiniemi skillfully held several attacks in a row, but eventually, Wännström smashed the puck into the net at 48:12, causing Ilves’ hopes of a win to slowly fade. The game remained exciting until the end, even in the last ten minutes Ilves tried to build up new pressure, but Ässät always kept control of the game.
Finally, the evening in Pori ended with a clear 4-1 victory for the hosts.
