Overtime goal saves day for Ässät; race for ice hockey title now even

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Ässät of Pori managed to rise to the occasion yesterday, by winning the second game against HPK of Hämeenlinna in the best-of-five final series for the Finnish ice hockey championship. While it already looked almost certain that Ässät were going to suffer their second defeat in the final series, the Pori team, willed on by a fanatical home crowd, managed to score an equalising goal just 34 seconds before the end of the third period.
      An overtime goal then sealed a 5-4 victory for Ässät, thus bringing the series to a titillating 1-1 tie.
     
The winning goal was scored 2:03 into the overtime by Ässät defenseman Jesse Saarinen, who took advantage of heavy traffic around the HPK goal and managed to sweep the puck into the net between goaltender Miika Wiikman's legs.
      The ecstatic home fans rewarded the performance by celebrations that went on into the night long after the end of the game.
      Another highlight of the evening, the 4-4 equaliser at end of the third period, was produced by Ässät wing forward Matti Kaipainen.
     
The second game in the final series advanced evenly. Rob Hisey of Ässät was the first man to score at 5:58 into the first period. The next two goals were then produced by HPK players Juuso Hietanen and Mikko Laine.
      Halfway into the first period the home team winger Leo Komarov took a nasty blow to his face from HPK captain Mikko Jokela's elbow.
      The bleeding Komarov was carried off the ice on a stretcher. He was later diagnosed with a broken nose and a mild concussion.
      As a result of the tackle aimed at the opponent's head, Jokela received a 5+20-minute game penalty, and while HPK were short-handed the Ässät captain, defender Pasi Peltonen, scored an equaliser from the blue line.
     
Towards the end of the third period it seemed certain that HPK would skate away with their second victory, after Juha-Pekka Loikas produced a fourth goal just a minute and some seconds before the final buzzer.
      Kaipainen of Ässät, however, saw things differently and produced the 4-4 equaliser from a pass by Marko Kivimäki with 59:26 on the clock.
      During the game, Ässät goalkeeper Juuso Riksman blocked 33 shots on goal, while his HPK counterpart Miika Wiikman fended off 25 attempts.
      The third game of the final series will take place in Hämeenlinna on Thursday. On Saturday, HPK took a 1-0 victory in the first game of the series. Three victories will secure the Finnish Championship.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Ice hockey season drawing to close: HPK shut out Ässät in first game of final series (18.4.2006)

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