HPK need only one victory for ice hockey title

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Ässät of Pori had little say in the first period of the third game against HPK of Hämeenlinna in the final series for the Finnish ice hockey championship. Within less than nine minutes of the puck being dropped, HPK's Janne Lahti and Ville Leino produced three goals, enough to ensure HPK's second win in the series in front of an elated home crowd.
      The 5-3 (3-0, 1-2, 1-1) victory in game three took HPK within one win of the ice hockey title. The next and potentially decisive game will be played in Pori's Isomäki arena on Saturday.
     
HPK devastated the Pori side by producing the first three goals inside 8:22 from the start of the first period. By then the Ässät coach Mika Toivola had already resorted to taking a timeout to wake up his slumbering team. It did little to help.
      Ässät defender Marko Toivonen's minor penalty for slashing proved costly for his team. Only 13 seconds into the power-play the home team capitalised on the mistake by scoring the first goal.
      Defender David Schneider shot from the blue line, and while the puck bounced off goaltender Juuso Riksman's mask falling to his feet, Janne Lahti quickly swept it into the Pori net.
      Toivola's timeout request came after Ville Leino's goal, in which he beautifully bluffed the Ässät captain Pasi Peltonen before shooting the puck behind Riksman's back.
      "I had the patience to dummy him plus a little bit of luck", Leino commented on what was arguably the most elegant goal of the evening.
      Lahti's second goal a minute and a half after Leino's score was a lucky backhand shot.
     
During the second period, in a 4-0 situation, Ässät finally picked up the plot and quickly narrowed down the HPK lead to 4-2, with goals by Mikko Rautee and Mike Ramsey.
      "We had a breather, and Ässät utilised it. One should never lose concentration", Leino explained.
      "We have to do better in Pori. The kind of panic clearances we had to resort to a couple of times today might prove costly there. It is too early to start dreaming about the title just yet", Leino analysed.
     
The final series has gained a reputation for tough play. In Hämeenlinna this toughness was mainly manifested in the form of constant mischief.
      The Pori contingent, in particular, poked and prodded the HPK players after each whistle and at every opportunity. By pure luck super provokers Rob Hisey and Leo Komarov failed to create any larger mayhem.
      The referee trio will have to step up their efforts in maintaining order on the ice in Saturday's game in Pori. Otherwise total mayhem can be expected.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Overtime goal saves day for Ässät; race for ice hockey title now even final series (18.4.2006)
  Ice hockey season drawing to close: HPK shut out Ässät in first game of final series (18.4.2006)

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