The settings were there, a capacity crowd, archrivals in the box and setbacks, of late to, to rectify. The outcome was the predictable, however. Errors errors and more errors plaguing the package called HIFK.
Injuries to and suspensions of key defensive elements nagged the edges of pre-game euphoria. A positive situation with the locker room filled with offensive skill could not be turned into success, quite the opposite.
Tactics were built on a solid defensive effort, but with only two defenders of class, available, there to execute - it did not work.
Coach Westerlund - for the second game in succession your tactics crashed totally!
Why not try the "old man" Lehtonen ?
Goaltender problems accelerated the poor finish.
Letīs put this one behind us and beware Ilves; we can only rebound, I hope ?
Stars:
#1 Jere Karalahti
#2 Jan Caloun
#3 Kimmo Timonen