Ice Hockey Tappara's Christian Heljanko Defied Everything in the Local Game Ilves Tougher Than Lulaja

The fifth local game of the season between Tampere Ilves and Tappara gave a taste of what to expect in the spring if the teams meet in the playoffs Although the stake was only the battle for the regular season win and Tampere's puck dominance, many players already gave a taste of struggling at the playoff level.

Tappara took the victory with goals 2–0, but Ilves is still ahead in the victories of mutual matches of the season 3–2 "Ilves is a tougher opponent than Luluaja.

It put us in a much tougher position than Luluaja, if you forget the superior forces at the end of the CHL final", summed up Tappara's goalkeeper Christian Heljanko, who saved the scoreless game Tappara and Heljanko have contracted a huge number of matches because of the CHL, but the level is felt again once only rising towards the spring.

"If you compare our game volume to many other top teams, we have 17 more games in our season schedule before the playoffs In other countries, there are eight fewer games in the regular season.

On top of that, nine CHL games," Heljanko calculated Heljango's statistics do not dazzle in the league, but in the toughest games of the season, he has given Tappara a chance to win every time.

"You always try to put the best on the table, but at this pace, there will be not so good games for both yourself and the team However, it is my and the team's strength that we know when to be at our best," said Heljanko, who was voted the league's best goalkeeper last season.

On Friday in the local game in Tampere the regular season win was at stake, and it showed in the performance of both teams The players were practically already in playoff mode, Tappara's attacker Veli-Matti Savinainen was in his element in front of Ilves' goal, creating pressure for Ilves' goalkeeper Marek Langhamer.

The fighters of the track department, Tappara's defender Mikael Seppälä and Ilves' center Tommi Tikka, poked each other like crazy And even the maestros of Old Liito, Jori Lehterä and Petri Kontiola, had their feelings on the surface.

Lehterä showed in the finish line wrestling that there is a jerk for that job too if needed Kontiola got away with the wrong offside whistle so much in the final set that the stick hit after the whistle broke the plexiglass and brought a 10-minute conduct penalty.

"Awesome atmosphere and tight fight There was no free time or space in Kaukalo.

League entertainment doesn't get any better than this Tampere is currently the ice hockey capital of Finland," Heljanko beamed.

The full Nokia Arena (12,700) got their tickets covered, when the even match was finally decided only in the last second with Petteri Puhaka's 2-0 goal into the empty net Tappara's first goal in the opening set was scored by Norwegian striker Philip Granath.

"Ilves has been a challenging opponent for us We talked before the game that now we have to raise the level if we want to win.

After a strong opening set by Ilves, a strong performance from the whole team", Heljanko praised his team difficult for any team to win.

" Hard to argue against In Tappara's game, all the pieces are currently in place.

That team should play well, who collects more points than Tappara in the final rounds of the regular season Lukko is still one point ahead in the table, but it has played two more matches.

Ilves (1 868) Is Also Ahead Of Lukko (1

855) in point average The final pole position of the regular season may well be decided in favor of one of the teams from Tampere only in the last local match of the season on March 10.

Tappara's players got permission to celebrate the weekend's CHL championship According to Heljango, the players wanted to show their attitude as soon as they returned to training on Tuesday.

"Many people's eye sockets were darker than usual, but what they did in training was probably the best of the whole season Every guy carried his responsibility for the team very well.

" During last year's spring fever in Tampere, there was speculation about a possible The Manse final Little by little, the same topic is again becoming a topic of discussion among Tampere puck fans.

In order for the long-desired climax to be realized, Tappara or Ilves should win the regular season, so that the teams do not meet each other already in the semi-finals At the moment, even in this sense, the situation seems delicious.

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