Saturday’s SM-Liiga and Elitserien games

15 Sep 2012 | Dennis Mende / Henrik Lundqvist

Finnish SM-liiga teams were not in a goal scoring mood today. None of the clubs managed to score more than three strikes in one game. In Sweden Luleå continues to win.

For Ilves a horrible start into the new season is perfect. One day after a 1-7 home defeat against Tappara they also lost their first away match against HPK. The hosts went in front through Tuomas Santavuori at 04:40 but had to wait until the third period when Jesse Saarinen doubled the lead. At 58:41 guest goalie Miika Wiikman left his net and Ville Viitaluoma used the empty net for the 3-0. HPK's Mikko Tolvanen earned his first shutout this year.

In the matchup of two teams that disappointed in European Trophy, last year's champion JYP managed to win the top game against Kärpät Oulu with 3-1. Miika Lahti and Kristian Näkyvä earned a two-goal lead until the begin of the second period before Juha-Pekka Haataja brought Oulu onto the scoreboard at 23:16. Just minutes later import Eric Perrin decided the match in favour of the home side that had a perfect start with 6 points while Kärpät stays without a single point after two matches.

SaiPa received Pelicans in a duel of two teams who won their season openers. A great comeback let the home side turn arond a 0-2 deficit. Jesse Mankinen scored the game-winner at 53:59. In the last minutes Pelicans pulled out their goalie without being able to tie the game. SaiPa is one of three teams with 6 points in two games.

Tappara had a perfect start with the 7-1 against Ilves while KalPa lost the first match 0-3. Today was another example that every game starts at zero. Jukka Voutilainen was the man of the day for KalPa in their 3-2 away win as he brought his side in front with the 0-1 and 1-2. On the other side Jerry Ahtola and Aleksander Barkov scored the equalizer. Antti Kerälä scored the game-winner for KalPa at 52:03. Juha Metsola left the Tappara net for the last 90 seconds but this stayed without success.

Ässät grabbed the lead in SM-liiga by winnig 3-0 against TPS. After Juha Järvenpää kept his goal clean in the season opener, today his substitute Antti Raanta followed with a 17-save shutout. Tuomas Pihlman at 11:12, Severi Sillanpää at 46:29 and Daniel Brodin in the last minute of play with an empty-netter earned a solid home win for the Pori-based home side.

With a strong third period Luleå turned the home game against Skellefteå to 3-2 win. Skellefteå had a 2-1 lead after two periods but Chris Abbott and Jens Jakobs made sure that the home team could win another three points. When 8 of the 12 teams of Elitserien have played two games Luleå is the only team with six points.

Just like on the first game day HV71 won in overtime. Today last season’s champion Brynäs was defeated 2-1. Jörgen Sundqvist gave Brynäs the lead a few minutes into the second period and Mattias Karlsson tied it 20 minutes later. Jason Krog got HV’s game winner at 55 seconds of the overtime period.

Also Timrå won in overtime today. Simon Önerud scored the winning 3-2 goal at 62:01. MODO had the lead twice on goals by Dave Spina and Kyle Cumiskey, but Timrå tied it on both occasions. Alexander Larsson scored 1-1 and Johan Andersson made it 2-2 5:17 before the end of period 3.

Frölunda lost the first game of the season but today they beat Växjö 3-1 when they visited Vida Arena. Mathis Olimb and Doug Lynch gave the guests a 2-0 lead in the first period. In the middle of the second Mikael Eriksson made it 1-2. The last goal of the game came at 53:13 when Mats Rosselli Olsen made it 3-1 Frölunda. Växjö pulled their goalie Fredrik Norrena at 57:17 but couldn’t get a second goal.