First period went for TPS
Ilves started off great. TPS´ goalie Andrei Karejev was busy with making saves at the front of his net. Also, Ilves got its first power play already at the very first minutes after TPS´ defender Alen Bibic receiving a penalty for checking Ilves´ Teemy Väyrynen behind. A minor plus a misconduct penalty amounting to 2+10 minutes.
After a few very decent scoring opportunities, Ilves finally hit the net at 4.05. For the celebration of his 200th game in the League Ville Meskanen scored the opening goal on the power play. 1-0 for Ilves.
A first power play for TPS was offered at 8.14 after Ilves´ Niklas Peltomäki being sent to the penalty box for holding. Ilves killed the penalty, however, right after it TPS´ Ruslan Ishakov made a great Spin-O-Rama pass to Joel Janatuinen who shot the puck into the Ilves´ net at 10.23.
Next statistics was marked at 10.52 when TPS` Hannu Kuru was penalized for checking to the head/neck resulting in 2+10. However, no power play goals for the home team at this point.
TPS´ 1-2 score at 16.15 was sort of a repetition from its last goal. Ilves´ Niklas Peltomäki received a minor penalty for slashing. Ilves killed the penalty, however, it was only a few seconds later when Josh Kestner´s low shot hit the net behind Ilves´ goalie.
1-2 for the away team when continuing into the second period.
Ilves gets back on the game
It was a bit unusual start for the second period as Ilves received a bench minor penalty already at the very beginning at 20.19. Cause – delaying the game. Again, Ilves killed the penalty and luckily, this time with no setback goals afterwards.
We saw a few very proper scoring opportunities on both sides during the first half of the second period. Ilves even got to play on a power play after TPS´ Ruben Rafkin being penalized for hooking. However, goals kept waiting.
Then, at 32.23 Ruben Rafkin was, once again, sent to the penalty box for which Ilves earned a chance for a power play. Although it managed to create some very dangerous shots towards the TPS´ net, no goals recorded. Then again, at its next goal Ilves followed the pattern of both TPS´ goals today. Panu Mieho´s sharp wrist shot hit the net at 34.29 right after TPS´ penalty had come to an end. Two assists, one for Matias Maccelli and another for Kalle Maalahti.
Regardeless of the great pressure Ilves managed to create at its attacking zone during the final minutes of this second period, the second intermission started with no more goals. The score: 2-2.
Unfortunate setback at the very end
First statistics of the final period was recorded at 43.46 when Ilves´ Niklas Peltomäki received his third penalty of the game. TPS Lauri Pajuniemi made an accurate shot straight from the pass, however, Ilves´ goalie Eetu Mäkiniemi´s blocking glove was sharp.
Ilves also got another power play opportunity at 48.56 which, however, ended up nothing spectacular and worth of mentioning.
During the following minutes TPS put some pressure on the Ilves´ defensive zone. Thanks to the great saves by Eetu Mäkinen, Ilves was able to keep up the game for quite some time.
Unfortunately, at 58.17 TPS´ Timur Ibragimov managed to nail the game-winning goal 2-3 from the pass of his teammate Ville Lajunen. Despite Ilves´ pressure at the very end with extra skater on the ice and one more power play, TPS survived.
Today, the teams are meeting again in a rematch in Turku. Let´s hope for the better luck and more goals for Ilves!
