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Tappara wins historic quadruple overtime thriller to level SM-final series
🇫🇮 Finland /Sports

Tappara wins historic quadruple overtime thriller to level SM-final series

From Helsingin Sanomat · (1h ago) Finnish Positive tone

Translated from Finnish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Tappara won a historic, second-longest SM-liiga ice hockey final game in Kouvola against KooKoo with a score of 3-2 in quadruple overtime.
  • The game, which ended at 00:29 on Saturday, was decided by Oiva Keskinen's goal at 129:54, extending the final series to 2-2.
  • KooKoo had briefly celebrated a victory in the first overtime after Joseph Berger scored, but Tappara successfully challenged the goal, leading to a prolonged and dramatic conclusion.

In a truly epic display of endurance and will, Tappara has emerged victorious in a marathon ice hockey match that will be etched in SM-liiga history. The fourth game of the finals series against KooKoo, held in Kouvola, stretched into an astonishing quadruple overtime, finally concluding at 00:29 on Saturday with Oiva Keskinen's decisive goal. This victory, a 3-2 triumph for Tappara, evens the series at 2-2 and sets the stage for an even more intense battle ahead.

Mulla oli luistimiin asti kaikki varusteet jo pois. Yläkroppa ja luistimet oli jo pois. Olin jo lähdössä kotia kohti ja kääntänyt ajatukset jo kohti lauantain peliä, mutta sitten mentiin takaisin.

— Joni TuulolaTappara defenseman Joni Tuulola describes how he and teammates were already preparing to leave the arena after KooKoo's disallowed goal in the first overtime.

The drama of this game was amplified by a moment where KooKoo players and fans believed they had secured a crucial win in the first overtime. Joseph Berger's goal at 61:40 sent the arena into a frenzy, with many Tappara players already heading towards their locker room, convinced the game was over. However, a successful challenge by Tappara overturned the goal, forcing the players back onto the ice for a continuation that would last for nearly three more hours.

Jos sauna olisi ollut, niin Chrisu olisi varmaan jo saunaan kerennyt

— Kristian TanusTappara's Kristian Tanus humorously suggests how much equipment goalie Christian Heljanko had already removed.

Players like Tappara's star defenseman Joni Tuulola and goaltender Christian Heljanko were already shedding their equipment, anticipating a post-game routine, only to be thrust back into the high-stakes environment. Tuulola's candid admission of having "already taken off my upper body and skates" and being "on my way home" perfectly encapsulates the surreal turn of events. This resilience, the ability to regroup after believing victory was snatched away, is a testament to Tappara's championship mettle. For Finnish hockey fans, this game wasn't just a contest; it was a saga, a display of the unpredictable passion that defines the sport, especially in our beloved SM-liiga.

Veskarin kamat on muutenkin vähän vaikeampi laittaa päälle. Mutta itse olin ainakin tosi innoissaan. Siinähän tuli kuin uusi mahdollisuus.

— Joni TuulolaJoni Tuulola reflects on the difficulty of getting back into gear and his own excitement at getting a second chance to win.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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