Liiga delivers mind-blowing drama 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 SM-liiga drops the gloves and gives it everything. The first playoff round has only just started, but it's already delivered everything we love about this sport – just over this weekend alone. Overtime, upsets, and those heroes no one had heard of last week.

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

There was no celebrating in Kuopio on Saturday night. KalPa took the opener with a convincing scoreline, and many probably figured the home side was on a hot streak, steamrolling towards the next round. But that would have been too easy. After Friday's loss, HIFK marched into the Kuopio ice hall and showed their true grit. A 4–1 away win, and Tony Sund and Petteri Lindbohm got to taste their first-ever playoff goals. And that's not all: Vincent Marleau bagged two, with the final one into an empty net sealing the night.

This series is now in that perfect spot where both teams have shown their teeth. HIFK's win wasn't a lucky punch; it was cold, hard execution. And with three wins needed to advance, we're just getting airborne.

Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät – the eternal overtime saga

If you love a bit of suffering, you're following the battle between Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät. Overtime on Friday, then again on Saturday. Iikka Kangasniemi put the Espoo side ahead on the power play, but then Sakari Kostilainen – in his first-ever playoff game, mind you – answered with his own power-play goal to force extra time. That, my friends, is pure, unadulterated drama. These two have clearly locked horns, and neither is giving an inch without a fight.

I'll say it straight: we might be in for a few more overtimes before this series is done.

HPK's shutout and other hot takes

There were celebrations in Hämeenlinna on Saturday as HPK blanked Lukko in style, 2–0. Sami Päivärinta's skate-blade goal after a video review? You bet. That's old-school cheekiness right there. Cameron Wright then finished into an empty net with two seconds left. Lukko really need to figure out how to break down this 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 SM-liiga playoffs are the best entertainment this country has to offer.

So, here's the weekend rundown:

• Series are already delivering 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 young guns are rising.
• Overtime is here to stay: Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät have shown that neither will give in until the other is out cold.

That's Finnish hockey spring for you. No fancy talk, just straight-up action. And looking at these opening rounds, you can only say one thing: this is shaping up to be a long, bloody spring. Grab some hot cocoa and keep the remote close – this is only the beginning.