Match report Ässät-Lukko

Ässät - Lukko 2 - 1 (1-1, 1-0, 0-0) Stats

The start of the season ended in a 2 - 1 loss for Lukko. In Pori, Ässät was too strong, due to two goals of Man of the Match Marko Kivenmäki.

Ässät started agressive and Lukko had difficulties to get in the game. Langkow was tested from the beginning venomous shots from Ässät.
Passes from Lukko did not always reach their destination, it looked a little bit sloppy. Too many penalties were taken. The first 3-on-5-power play of the season was there after three minutes play, when both Jamie Wright and Toni Porkka were on the penalty box. Lukko played a good penalty killing and managed to hold off Ässät. With five men back on the ice again, the play improved. It did not take long before Miikka Tuomainen received a penalty for charging. Half a minute after the penalty was called, the puck was in the net of Lukko. Langkow had difficulties getting the puck away behind the goal, and also struggled to get himself back into the goal. Kuusela conquered the puck and passed to Kivenmäki, who scored 1 - 0 in the empty net.
Ässät held control over the match and Lukko tried to take over. The 1 - 1 after 15 minutes came somewhat out of the blue. A quick break from Lukko was rounded off by Miikka Tuomainen, after poor goalkeeping from Juuso Riksman. The assists came from Jarkko Kauvosaari and try-out player Tommi Jäminki.

In the second period it became a little bit better. Lukko played more ice hockey, but they never got full control over the match.  The goal from Kivenmäki was one of not too good defending. Nobody from Lukko good get him off the puck. A weak shot was not stopped by Langkow, 2 - 1 for Ässät.

Much was expected from Lukko in the third period. Tolvanen had made some line changes to get Lukko back on track. He managed partly but Lukko never got dangerous enough to make Ässät nervous. As the period continued, Lukko started to receive unnecessary penalties. First there was Hagelberg with a 2+10 penalty for checking from behind. Snellman followed with a hooking penalty. In the 51th minuted Tähtinen was called for high sticking. Riksman went to the bench for an extra forward. Hämäläinen conquered the puck and play was stopped, but Eepi shot the puck in the empty net and got a misconduct penalty. This was the last thing Lukko needed. After being complete again, Lukko build up pressure. Ässät defended well and managed to keep the puck out of the net. After a time out and pulling Langkow, Lukko got one big chance but Riksman saved. And so Lukko lost its first match of the season, 2 - 1.

The first two lines could not bring yet what was expected from them. It became clear that Lukko needed a first line centre, although Jamie Wright did everything that was in his power. Despite that, it could be seen that he has potential, with good physics and an excellent shot.

Saturday is the first home match of the season against KalPa.