Pelicans-JYP 1-4 (series 1-2)

20 Apr 2012 | Mika Leino

JYP robbed home advantage in SM-liiga finals.

JYP was very convincing in the third SM-liiga final in Lahti. With calm and zero mistake hockey they took 4-1 win and have now home advantage. Pelicans was pretty nervous, couldn't get their power play working, made easy mistakes and took some stupid penalties. Pelicans' top goalie Niko Hovinen was again unable to play, most likely because of his hib problems.

Pelicans scored the first goal of the game when Arttu Luttinen scored from his favourite place: in front of the goal. It didn't take more than three minutes when JYP equalized. Pelicans had received a penalty for too many men on the ice and one of the hottest playoff players Jani Tuppurainen attacked strongly to Pelicans goal and sweeped the puck into the goal.

Another bad moment for Pelicans came at the end of the first period. JYP's Miika Lahti was penalized with a 5 minute penalty but JYP was the one who scored. Team captain Juha-Pekka Hytönen skated easily through lazy Pelicans defense and threw the puck with backhand into the net. This goal remained as a game winning goal. In the third period Harri Pesonen scored with a great wrist shot for 1-3 and Mikko Viitanen scored into the empty net in the final seconds. Viitanen scored in the regular season zero goals but has scored in the playoffs already three times.

Pelicans coach Kai Suikkanen was not happy with so many stupid penalties Pelicans took: "Too many penalties in situations when the game was already stopped. That is a sign of problems with concentration and disciplin. Also our game was too complicated. We were trying nice "Bobby Orr" passes and "goal of the month" goals instead of going directly to the net like you should in the playoffs."

Somehow it is difficult to imagine JYP losing its hold of the cup after watching this game. Their play was so good in balance and control and also goaltender Riku Helenius is superb. Next game will be on Saturday.