Both teams came into this game looking for a long-awaited win: Ilves had lost three previous games, Vaasan Sport had lost four. Sport was the one to stop their losing streak tonight with the final score of 2–0.
A bad start
Sport put pressure on Ilves early on and scored on the powerplay less than four minutes in. Ilves continued to struggle after this; their passes didn’t connect, and they had to spend most of the time defending in their zone.
Around the halfway mark of the period, Ilves’ Roby Järventie deflected a shot but the puck hit the post. While Sport was much more energetic and quicker, Ilves had to resort to short counterattacks.
Ilves got the hang of the game a little better toward the end of the period and was able to control the play in the offensive zone, but the score remained 1–0 in favor of Sport.
A mediocre second period
Second period started out okay for Ilves. Matias Maccelli and Järventie planned a great attack, but they couldn’t capitalize. Ilves suffered another setback as Sport scored when the puck hit Sport’s Roope Talaja’s skate and glided behind goalie Eetu Mäkiniemi.
Ilves’ Elorinne had a great scoring chance after a pass from Hatakka, but Sport goalie Niko Hovinen stood tall. Soon Järventie and Maccelli tested him on an amazing breakaway, but Hovinen said no yet again.
Overall, Ilves didn’t have much to celebrate in the second since Sport dominated most of the play and created more dangerous scoring chances.
Ilves can’t find a solution
Eemeli Suomi and Eetu Päkkilä’s great shot attempts were signs of a more energetic Ilves early in the third. Then Ilves got on the powerplay, but Sport defended well and survived the penalty kill.
Järventie got on yet another breakaway, but today wasn’t the youngster’s day: his shot went past the goal. Ilves tried until the last seconds but couldn’t create any significant scoring chances anymore.
Sport won the game 2–0 with goals by Michael Keränen and Roope Talaja.
