Liiga delivers mind-blowing drama once again – three things you need to know from the first week of the playoffs
Here we go again. It's the best time of spring, as the Finnish Liiga drops the gloves and gives it everything it's got. The first playoff round has just begun, but the action has already delivered everything we love about this sport—just over the opening weekend. Overtime thrillers, upsets, and those heroes no one had even heard of last week.
HIFK's strike in Kuopio: "Now the series really starts"
There was no celebrating in Kuopio on Saturday night. KalPa took the opener in convincing fashion, and many probably figured the team from Kuopio was on a hot streak and heading straight for the next round. But that would have been too easy. After Friday's loss, HIFK marched into Kuopio's arena and showed their true colours. A 4–1 road win, with Tony Sund and Petteri Lindbohm both scoring their first-ever playoff goals. And that's not all: Vincent Marleau potted two goals, sealing the night with an empty-netter.
This series is now in that sweet spot where both teams have shown what they're capable of. HIFK's win was no fluke—it was clinical execution. And with three wins needed to advance, this one is just taking off.
Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät – the eternal overtime saga
If you love a good nail-biter, you're following the battle between Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät. There was overtime on Friday, and again on Saturday. Iikka Kangasniemi put Espoo ahead on the power play, but then Sakari Kostilainen—in his very first playoff game, mind you—answered with a power-play goal of his own to force extra time. That's the kind of pure playoff drama we live for. These two are clearly locked in a battle of wills, and neither is giving an inch without a fight.
I'll say it straight: this series could see a few more overtime periods before it's all said and done.
HPK's shutout and other hot storylines
There was celebration in Hämeenlinna on Saturday as HPK blanked Lukko in a tidy 2–0 win. Sami Päivärinta's goal off his skate after a video review? You bet. That's old-school grit right there. Cameron Wright then sealed it with an empty-netter with two seconds left on the clock. Lukko is going to have to figure out how to break through that wall.
And as for the other leagues—well, the Champions League, English League Cup, and Europa League can wait. All eyes are on the domestic rinks right now, because the Finnish Liiga playoffs are the best show in this country.
So here's the takeaway from the weekend's action:
- Drama already in the series: HIFK and KalPa are tied 1–1, Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät are stuck in an overtime loop, and HPK and Lukko are level.
- New heroes emerging: Lindbohm, Sund, Mononen, and Kostilainen—all scored their first playoff goals. The next generation is stepping up.
- The overtimes just keep coming: Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät have shown that neither will back down until the other is done.
This is Finnish hockey spring. No frills, just straight-up action. And if the opening round is anything to go by, all signs point to a long and gritty spring ahead. Grab some hot cocoa and keep the remote close—this is only the beginning.