HIFK emphatically book place in ice hockey final

Hopes rising of first championship title since 1998

print this

HIFK Helsinki became the first team to secure a place in this year's ice hockey playoff finals on Tuesday night with a stand-out performance in the Helsinki Ice Hall in the fifth match of their best of seven semi-final series against Lukko of Rauma.
      Lukko were comprehensively wiped out through five goals without reply in the second period, and HIFK strolled to a 7-1 victory to wrap up the series by four victories to one.
      The onslaught in the second period was quite unprecedented, as one after another the HIFK forwards combined to produce some excellent scoring opportunities, which they immediately cashed in.
      Lennart Petrell collected a hat-trick and Mikael Granlund was not far behind with 2+3, as the sellout crowd roared their approval and gave the team a lengthy standing ovation when the final buzzer sounded.
     
HIFK are now in the relatively enviable position of having a few days' rest, although they will need to remain sharp for the finals, which begin on April 13th.
      It is unclear as yet whom they will meet, as the other semi-final in delicately poised.
      Espoo Blues lead the regular season winners JYP of Jyväskylä 2-1, after pulling off a surprise 3-1 win in Jyväskylä and following this up with a 4-3 victory at home.
      JYP got on the board in the third game, but the Espoo side, who only finished ninth in the regular season table and have already knocked out runners-up Ässät of Pori, have an opportunity on home ice tonight to put some serious squeeze on the Jyväskylä outfit.
     
HIFK players and fans have had a fairly long wait to get their hands on the Canada Trophy, which they last won in 1998.
      They were last in the final in the following year, when they lost out to TPS Turku.
      HIFK have won the title three times in the past, and JYP once (in 2009), while for Espoo Blues it would be a first-ever title.
      They were the beaten finalists in 2008, losing to Kärpät of Oulu. Those silver medals are the Espoo team's only honours so far in the SM-liiga.   


Previously in HS International Edition:
  HIFK and Lukko progress to semi-final meeting (29.3.2011)
  As HIFK and Jokerit aim for a semi-final berth, 4,000 tickets go in 3 minutes (28.3.2011)

Links:
  SM-Liiga (Wikipedia)

Helsingin Sanomat