Liiga delivers mind-blowing drama again – 3 things you need to know from the first week of the playoffs
Here we go again. It's the best time of spring, when the SM-liiga drops the gloves and brings its absolute best. The first playoff round has only just begun, but the action is already delivering everything we love about this sport – all packed into just this first weekend. Overtime thrillers, upsets, and those heroes nobody had even heard of last week.
HIFK strikes in Kuopio: "Now the series really begins"
There was no celebration in Kuopio on Saturday night. KalPa took the opening game with a convincing score, and many probably thought the home side would cruise through to the next round. But that would've been too easy. After their Friday loss, HIFK marched into the Kuopio ice hall and showed their true character. A 4–1 away victory, with Tony Sund and Petteri Lindbohm scoring their first-ever playoff goals. And that's not all: Vincent Marleau bagged two goals, the last one into an empty net to seal the night.
This series is now in that perfect spot where both teams have shown what they're made of. HIFK's win was no fluke – it was cold, calculated execution. And with three wins needed to advance, things are just getting off the ground.
Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät – the eternal overtime saga
If you love drama, you'll be following the battle between Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät. There was overtime on Friday, and then again on Saturday. Iikka Kangasniemi put the Espoo side 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 purest form of drama. These two have clearly locked each other in a battle, and neither is willing to give an inch without a fight.
I'll say this straight: this series is likely to see a few more overtimes before it's all over.
HPK's shutout and other hot matchups
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 grit. Cameron Wright then finished into an empty net with two seconds left. Lukko really 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 local rinks, because the SM-liiga playoffs are the best entertainment this country has to offer.
So here's a quick recap of the weekend's biggest takeaways:
- Series already heating up: HIFK–KalPa tied 1–1, Kiekko-Espoo–Ässät stuck in overtime limbo, and HPK–Lukko all square.
- New heroes emerge: Lindbohm, Sund, Mononen, and Kostilainen – all scored their first-ever playoff goals. This is where the young guns rise.
- Overtime just won't stop: Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät have shown that neither will give up until the other is done.
This is Finnish hockey spring. No fancy words, just straight-up action. And looking at these opening rounds, one thing's clear: this is going to be a long, hard-fought spring. Grab some hot cocoa and keep the remote close – this is only the beginning.