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🇫🇮 Finland /Sports

HIFK wins, but Olli Jokinen is far from satisfied: ‘We froze’

From Helsingin Sanomat · () Finnish

Translated from Finnish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • HIFK overturned a 2-3 deficit in the final period to beat HPK 5-3 in its opening Finnish league game.
  • New signing Eetu Liukas scored the winning goal with a solo effort and added an empty-net goal in his HIFK debut.
  • Coach Olli Jokinen praised the new top line’s physical play but said HIFK’s performance without the puck was its weakest in three or four games.

HIFK opened its league season with a 5-3 comeback win over HPK, but coach Olli Jokinen left the arena with plenty to criticise. His team surrendered a 2-0 lead in the first period, fell behind 3-2, then surged through the final period to take the victory.

New signing Eetu Liukas became the immediate hero. The 23-year-old power forward scored the winning goal with an impressive solo effort before completing the scoreline by hitting the empty net. His new line with Jake Leschyshyn and Niko Huuhtanen also made an immediate impression on the home crowd with direct, physical and aggressive play.

Liukas showed why he was brought here. The top line was still finding its rhythm, but that line will bring us a lot of joy.

· Olli JokinenThe HIFK coach praised Eetu Liukas and the newly assembled top line after the win.

Jokinen said the trio still needed time to develop together, but praised the strength and speed they brought to the lineup. All three have spent the past two years or more in North America, he said, and their style allows them to play with emotion and get under opponents’ skin.

The coach’s approval came with a warning. HIFK began with fierce intensity, but its structure deteriorated as the game progressed. “This was structurally our weakest game in the last three or four games,” Jokinen said. He added that the team had previously defended strongly without the puck, but against HPK it was very weak in that area while only adequate with the puck.

This was structurally our weakest game in the last three or four games.

· Olli JokinenJokinen criticised HIFK’s defensive structure despite the comeback victory.
About this summary

Originally published by Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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