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, when the Finnish Elite League pulls out all the stops and delivers its absolute best. The first round of the playoffs has only just begun, but the action is already everything we love about this sport. Overtime, upsets, and those heroes no one had even heard of last week.
HIFK's Statement in Kuopio: "Now This Series Really Starts"
There was no celebration in Kuopio on Saturday night. KalPa took the opener with a decisive win, and many probably thought the home team would cruise to 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 colors. A 4–1 road win, with Tony Sund and Petteri Lindbohm each scoring their first career playoff goals. And that’s not all: Vincent Marleau added two, 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’ve got. HIFK’s win wasn’t a lucky break—it was cold, calculated execution. And with three wins needed to advance, we’re just getting started.
Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät – The Never-Ending Overtime Saga
If you love a good grind, you’re following the battle between Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät. Overtime on Friday. Overtime again on Saturday. Iikka Kangasniemi put Espoo ahead on the power play, but then Sakari Kostilainen—in his first playoff game, mind you—answered with a power-play goal of his own to force extra time. That’s the pure essence of drama. These two teams have clearly locked onto each other, and neither is giving an inch without a fight.
I’ll say it straight: this series could see even more overtime before it’s all over.
HPK’s Shutout and Other Hot Storylines
In Hämeenlinna, they were celebrating on Saturday as HPK took down Lukko with a clean 2–0 win. Sami Päivärinta’s skate-blade goal after a video review? You bet. That’s old-school grit. Cameron Wright then buried an empty-netter with two seconds left. Lukko now has to seriously 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 Finnish Elite League playoffs are the best show this country has to offer.
So here’s a rundown of the weekend’s biggest takeaways:
- Series are already dripping with drama: HIFK–KalPa tied 1–1, Kiekko-Espoo–Ässät locked in an overtime spiral, and HPK–Lukko all square.
- New heroes stepping up: Lindbohm, Sund, Mononen, and Kostilainen—all scored in their first career playoff game. The next generation is rising.
- Overtime isn’t going anywhere: Kiekko-Espoo and Ässät have proven that neither will back down until the other is done.
That’s Finnish hockey spring. No frills, just straight-up action. And looking at these opening rounds, one thing’s for sure: this is shaping up to be a long, hard-fought spring. Grab some hot cocoa and keep the remote close—this is only the beginning.