A strong third period comeback from 4-0 down wasn't enough for TPS as SaiPa's resolute defence held just strong enough to take all three points from the Turkuhalli last night.
Rasmus Ristolainen looked resplendent in the gold helmet, his reward for a headline stealing performance on Tuesday night. However it was SaiPa who opened the scoring. With Jesse Mankinen taking advantage of a delayed penalty to shoot past Ahlqvist on the second attempt after the TPS defence failed to clear the puck.
The visitors then extended their lead when Jekimovs easily slotted home the rebound from Kaksonen's effort. It was a well worked goal from SaiPa who broke up the ice quickly and took advantage of a questionable line change which allowed Jekimovs all alone at the back post.
Things got worse for TPS before the end of the first, and this time it was Jarno Koskiranta's turn to fire home a rebound unmarked. Ryan Stone was sat in the box and Jesse Saarinen skated freely in on Ahlquist from a tight angle to end the period's scoring.
The second period saw Schwarz replace Ahlquist in goal, and the Czech had a point to make after a poor start to the season. Despite TPS coming much more into the game, SaiPa extended their lead with their third goal with a man advantage. Salo hacked at the puck to get it clear from danger in the left corner but it only travelled as far as Saarinen who quickly switched the play to the unmarked Per Savilahti-Nagander who rifled home a slapshot to the corner which evaded the glove hand of Schwarz.
The atmosphere was understandably flat as a SaiPa team who had only scored three goals coming into the game had a four goal lead at the half way point and I'm sure I wasn't the only one in the stands who had given up on taking a point from the game. The boys in black and white were handed a lifeline when Markus Palmroth, who had been having a poor game up to that point, gloved down a SaiPa clearance, deked past the sprawling Markku Flinck and fired a wrist shot past Myllyniemi.
Despite heading into the third 1-4 down and having been outshot 15-29, Palmroth's goal had lifted the spirits somewhat. TPS were in the ascendency and laid siege to Myllyniemi's goal for much of the period. Toni Mäkiaho struck back for the home team when good set-up play let him skate in from the left and wrist a shot to reduced the deficit to two.
Exactly two minutes later Ville Vahalahti put TPS within touching distance as Myllyniemi, having blocked the original shot, saw the TPS forwards freely hack away at the loose puck, eventually forcing it into the back of the net.
Unfortunately, that was where the scoring ended. Despite continued pressure for the rest of the game, SaiPa gained their first points of the season. Had the game been played in reverse fans would have been ranting about throwing the game away. Instead, the manner of the near-comeback in the third overshadowed what was another poor first period.
Rasmus Ristolainen looked resplendent in the gold helmet, his reward for a headline stealing performance on Tuesday night. However it was SaiPa who opened the scoring. With Jesse Mankinen taking advantage of a delayed penalty to shoot past Ahlqvist on the second attempt after the TPS defence failed to clear the puck.
The visitors then extended their lead when Jekimovs easily slotted home the rebound from Kaksonen's effort. It was a well worked goal from SaiPa who broke up the ice quickly and took advantage of a questionable line change which allowed Jekimovs all alone at the back post.
Things got worse for TPS before the end of the first, and this time it was Jarno Koskiranta's turn to fire home a rebound unmarked. Ryan Stone was sat in the box and Jesse Saarinen skated freely in on Ahlquist from a tight angle to end the period's scoring.
The second period saw Schwarz replace Ahlquist in goal, and the Czech had a point to make after a poor start to the season. Despite TPS coming much more into the game, SaiPa extended their lead with their third goal with a man advantage. Salo hacked at the puck to get it clear from danger in the left corner but it only travelled as far as Saarinen who quickly switched the play to the unmarked Per Savilahti-Nagander who rifled home a slapshot to the corner which evaded the glove hand of Schwarz.
The atmosphere was understandably flat as a SaiPa team who had only scored three goals coming into the game had a four goal lead at the half way point and I'm sure I wasn't the only one in the stands who had given up on taking a point from the game. The boys in black and white were handed a lifeline when Markus Palmroth, who had been having a poor game up to that point, gloved down a SaiPa clearance, deked past the sprawling Markku Flinck and fired a wrist shot past Myllyniemi.
Despite heading into the third 1-4 down and having been outshot 15-29, Palmroth's goal had lifted the spirits somewhat. TPS were in the ascendency and laid siege to Myllyniemi's goal for much of the period. Toni Mäkiaho struck back for the home team when good set-up play let him skate in from the left and wrist a shot to reduced the deficit to two.
Exactly two minutes later Ville Vahalahti put TPS within touching distance as Myllyniemi, having blocked the original shot, saw the TPS forwards freely hack away at the loose puck, eventually forcing it into the back of the net.
Unfortunately, that was where the scoring ended. Despite continued pressure for the rest of the game, SaiPa gained their first points of the season. Had the game been played in reverse fans would have been ranting about throwing the game away. Instead, the manner of the near-comeback in the third overshadowed what was another poor first period.
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