HIFK-Jokerit 4.01.1996

Jokerit- a lot of skill no heart, HIFK- less skill a LOT of heart

IFK´s record vs. Jokerit, beeing 0-4-0 0 points and 4 GF / 20 GA, this season. And the last victory beeing almost two years ago, there were not many people in the capacity crowd of 7688 that could discount the victory.

The game started off by IFK looking promising, but Jokerit controlling most of the action. At 4.28 former Ottawa Senator #15 Antti Törmänen opened the scoring for Jokerit and it all was over....

But was it... No ! IFK skated well, forechecked with two players deep and tackled everything that moved. Profile players as #25 Jarkko Ruutu spurred by his recent national team appearance was the dominant player.

Eventually Jokerit were caught with their guard down and were forced to penalties and errors. Late in the period IFK capitalized on the PP through #33 M.Hurme on a brilliant pass from behind the crease by stunning #12 Olli Jokinen just returned from his succesful 6 game stint in the under- 20 World Cup.

Early in the second the same line scored through #14 Juri Kutznetsov again on PP. Kutznetsov propelled his shot low in to the away corner on heavy traffic in front of the Jokerit goalmouth.

An empty netter, by #33 Hurme, with one second left in the game clinched the sweet victory.

Notable is that IFK lined up names like #2 Puolanne, #6 Rajala, #78 Kalto, #40 Alasaarela as #22 Kortelainen, #3 Karalahti were suspended, Lindfors and Kultanen injured and Väänänen and Heiskanen still fatigued from the late arrival from the U-20 WC.

IFK line-up:

#24 Sihvonen-#26 Wahlberg-#25 Ruutu

#8 Linna-#14 Kutznetsov

#33 Hurme-#12 Jokinen-#15 Laukkanen

#34 Ahola-#23 Lehtonen

#13 Nyman-#16 Eriksson-#31 Bisset

#8 Linna-#12 Rajala

#9 Kuhta-#40 Alasaarela-#78 Kalto

Stars of the game were:

*** Lundell, Ruutu, Kutznetsov

** Hurme, Eriksson

* Jokinen

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