5 VS 2
5 VS 2
Controversial Thriller !
HIFK 5 Blues 2, 1999-03-28
This one really tested the nerves of the numerous (7333) HIFK attendance. All the ingredients were there: series tied at one each, the performance improving by the shift, but also controversy in the form of no refereeing at all in the first period and then two 5 minute majors against
I can honestly say that the second intermission was nervy with the game tied at 2-2 and HIFK facing box play of 4:49 to start third.
The third period eventually turned in to a showdown by HIFK and especially, game MVP #77 Brian Rafalski, scoring a hat-trick (3+1)and giving HIFK the egde in the series.
The controversial calls leading to the ejections of #25 Jarkko Ruutu and #11 Jan Caloun looked to decide the game in our disadvantage. I can honestly say that I did see neither, due to them happening away from the puck in the far end of the rink.
Caloun´s two game suspension is yet another example of the League´s inability to draw proper rules. You can´t carry penalties on from tyhe regular season. That´s simply unfair.
Prejudice - is the dominating force in the treatment of the likes of Ruutu and Caloun and the fear of penalties has largely kept Blues in the series this far as they´ve been able to excercise all sorts of illegal checks, slashes (where´s Malone´s slashing suspension), grabbing and late hits due to no fear of retaliation by HIFK as every fault by HIFK ends up in penalties like we saw yesterday.
The actual hockey game was decided by the old thruth that the offense is your best defence; HIFK outmastered the opponent by simply keeping the tempo and shooting, shooting and shooting.
Blues goalie Siekkinen again played well as long as the defence kept the near attempts away, but he´s still not Hasek.
The future looks bright as Tuesday´s Game 4 should be piece of cake against a tired Blues defence. Beware of any opening setbacks though - they could make it an really tough night.
Yesterday´s Starting Lines:
scratches were: Baker and From
Outstanding players of the night were:
What really made the difference was that HIFK could use 18 skaters of which the checking lines were really awesome worth a separate mention are atleast Heiskanen, Kalto and Ahonen, but there wasn´t a weak link. The top four defenders were very good and Siren was good early, but perhaps got a little tired later on.
Caloun / Borsato / Hurme
Kortelainen / / Nieminen
Kalto / Sihvonen / (Tuomainen)Mäkiaho
Heiskanen / Ahonen / Laaksonen
Kultanen / Karalahti
Lydman / Rafalski
Siren / Rajala
Thomas
Rafalski ***
Caloun **
Kortelainen *