Liiga delivers mind-blowing drama once again – three things you need to know from the first week of the playoffs

And we're off. It's the best time of spring, when the Finnish SM-liiga drops the gloves and gives it their all. The first round of the playoffs has only just begun, but the action is already delivering everything we love about this sport. Overtime, upsets, and those heroes no one had heard of just last week – all packed into this single weekend.

HIFK's strike in Kuopio: "Now the series really begins"

There was certainly no celebration in Kuopio on Saturday night. KalPa secured the opening win with a comfortable scoreline, and many probably thought the team from Kuopio would steamroll their way to the next round. But that would have been far too easy. After Friday's loss, HIFK marched into the Kuopio arena and showed their true colours. A 4–1 away victory, with Tony Sund and Petteri Lindbohm both scoring their first-ever playoff goals. And that's not all: Vincent Marleau bagged two, the last one into an empty net to seal the night.

This series is now in a brilliant place, with both teams having shown what they're capable of. HIFK's win was no fluke; it was a display of cool-headed, hard work. And with three wins needed to advance, this is only just taking off.

Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät – the eternal overtime saga

If you're a glutton for punishment, you'll be following the battle between Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät. Overtime on Friday, and then again on Saturday. Iikka Kangasniemi put Espoo ahead on the power play, but then Sakari Kostilainen – in his very first playoff game, mind you – responded with a power-play goal of his own to force extra time. That's the pure, unadulterated drama we live for. These two sides have clearly locked horns, and neither is willing to give an inch without a fight.

I'll say it straight: this series could see several more overtimes before it's all said and done.

HPK's shutout and other hot topics

There were celebrations in Hämeenlinna on Saturday as HPK beat Lukko in style, 2–0. Sami Päivärinta's skate-blade goal after a video review? You bet. That's old-school cheekiness for you. Cameron Wright then sealed it with an empty-netter with two seconds left. Lukko are really going to have to figure out how to break down this wall.

And as for 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 SM-liiga playoffs are the best entertainment this country has to offer.

So here's a rundown of the key takeaways from the weekend:

• Series are already brimming with drama: HIFK–KalPa tied 1–1, Kiekko-Espoo–Ässät locked in an overtime spiral, and HPK–Lukko all square.
• New heroes emerge: Lindbohm, Sund, Mononen, and Kostilainen – all scored their first-ever playoff goals. The next generation is stepping up.
• The overtimes keep coming: Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät have shown that neither will give in until the other is out cold.

That's Finnish hockey spring in a nutshell. No frills, just straight-up action. And looking at these opening rounds, one thing's clear: this is shaping up to be a long, gruelling spring. Grab a hot cocoa and keep the remote close – this is only the beginning.