JYP won the low scoring game 1-2 in overtime on Wednesday at Hakametsä. Kalle Maalahti scored Ilves’ goal and Ville Kolppanen made 25 saves. Ilves struggled to score goals but its penalty kill was on point.
Scoreless after the first period
Both teams had an early powerplay opportunity, but neither team managed to construct decent scoring opportunities. Despite this, Ilves controlled the puck more and spent clearly more time on the offensive zone. Pretty much each line was able to create traffic in front of JYP’s goalie and the away team created scoring chances of their own through quick counter attacks.
After 20 minutes of hockey, there were no goals in sight, although Joose Antonen hit the post once. Ville Kolppanen faced eight shots and JYP’s Niko Parkkinen seven. One could say that there was high expectations heading towards second period as JYP sits last in the standings. This could be a good opportunity for Ilves to show efficiency in their offensive game.
Ilves has the momentum but the game is tied
Again, Ilves got their powerplay unit on the ice early. Eemeli Suomi and Ville Meskanen were the architects, but powerplay needed desperately more shots and less passing. Ilves kept controlling the game but the game was still scoreless after the first 30 minutes.
Roughly nine minutes before the second intermission, Matias Maccelli served a great pass for Roby Järventie, who had an empty net, but the puck bounced over forward’s stick blade. Ilves opened the scoring at 31.50, right after Järventie’s chance. Kalle Maalahti faked his slapshot near the blueline and shot an accurate wrist shot right below the crossbar. JYP’s goalie was badly screened and had no chance to even see Maalahti’s wrister.
At 37.53 JYP tied the game. Ilves’ powerplay had just ended and Aleksi Malinen got the puck straight after suffering his penalty. As a result, JYP had a 3v1 counterattack and Robert Rooba, JYP’s leading scorer, shot the puck past Kolppanen. Kolppanen made six saves in comparison to JYP’s Parkkinen who stopped 12 shots in the second period.
We need an overtime
Ilves’ second line was again close to score a goal but after video review the puck did not cross the goal line. Another post, that is. At 46.53 JYP had a two-man advantage as Maccelli and Joona Ikonen were watching the game from the penalty box. Maccelli had already suffered his minor penalty but Jarkko Parikka got 2+10 for boarding plus a personal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Ilves’ penalty kill was on point despite being such a long time shorthanded.
Couple of minutes before the end of regulation, Joona Ikonen got tripped and the referee granted Ilves a penalty shot. Joona Ikonen’s shot did not find its way through Parkkinen’s pads. This meant that overtime was needed and eventually it was JYP that got the extra point. Anttoni Honka shot a hard wrist shot from point blank range at 64.02.
