Match report Lukko-Ässät

Lukko - Ässät 0 - 2 (0-2, 0-0, 0-0) Stats Photo gallery

What should have been a great match ended in a major disappointment for Lukko. Rivals Ässät from Pori defeated Lukko with 2-0 in their own home.

Only 32 seconds were played when Ässät scored 0-1. After weak defending, Marko Kivenmäki scored, assisted by Kristian Kuusela and Aki Uusikartano. A devastating start for Lukko.
Not even 3 minutes later it was already 0-2. This time Kristians Kuusela scored and the assists came from Marko Kivenmäki and again Aki Uusikartano. Lukko did not know were to go, Ässät completely surprised them. The rest of the period Lukko was looking to get back into the game, but everything that was needed, was missing. The most exciting moment was afte 15 minutes. Matt Nickerson checked Ondrej Steiner in the back. Toporowski and Nickerson started a fight, in which Topo hit Nickerson a few times full in the face. Especially Nickerson was hot headed, keeping on talking and talking. Even in the penalty bench the two scrappers could not calm down. Nickerson was eventually sent off by Kruus, receiving a minor penalty for checking from behind, an automatic misconduct penalty and an automatic game misconduct penalty. Toporowski received a 2+2 penalty for roughing and an automatic misconduct penalty.

The second period was expected to be better but Lukko did not even come one minute in their game. The defense was may times too open and the attack did not produce too much good either. Only the fourth forward line with Yli-Torkko, Kauvosaari and Lammassaari showed some good will, creating a few chances. Third line defense pair Honkaheimo and Lehtonen showed no inspiration whatsoever.

As the match continued in the third period, Lukko was completely lost. The passing was miserable, which made it impossible to set up a decent attack. And when their was a possible scoring chance, Riksman saved or the puck passed the goal. Markus Nordlund had an enormous chance to score his first point but he shot the puck over the goal, having open space and time to choose the corner. Nothing worked out this match and so Ässät won for the first time in ages a match in Äijänsuon Arena.

Lukko has now lost four matches in a row. Saturday TPS is waiting in Turku. Hopefully the players have got their game together and start to get back on the right track, where they were before the HIFK match.