How things change.

Take a quick look at this:

League table before 04.10.11

19 Jokerit
19 Assat
19 Pelicans
19 Karpat
17 KalPa
14 Lukko
14 Blues
11 SaiPa
9 Ilves
8 Tappara
7 HIFK
7 JYP
7 HPK
6 TPS

League table since 04.10.11

21 KalPa
19 TPS
18 Pelicans
16 Assat
16 HIFK
13 JYP
10 Jokerit
10 HPK
 9 Tappara
 8 Lukko
 8 Blues
 6 Karpat
 6 SaiPa
 3 Ilves

What an incredible turnaround it has been. At the start of October things were looking very grim indeed, confidence was low, play was sloppy and players looked disinterested. To be honest, I wondered what, if anything could be done about it.
Then they travelled to Pori and ground out a magnificent 0-1 victory, despite having three players given their marching orders and seeing off a very late goal-that-wasn't. Since then, Tepsi have been formidable, dropping just the one point at home, the overtime win against Jokerit. TPS currently have the longest unbeaten streak in the league. Whatever has produced this turnaround in fortunes?

1. Injury to Schwarz.
Marek had a decidedly dodgy start to the season, being at fault for a howler after only seven seconds in the league opener. It took him a while to get going and he finally got into his stride in the win over HIFK where he was magnificent. Then came a back injury which allowed Ahlqvist an extended run in the side. Alexis now boasts the third best save percentage in the league. He's less prone to grievous errors, such as Schwarz's against Blues on Sunday, and the confidence he plays with has flowed outwards to the rest of the team. Schwarz will have his work cut out to regain his position as starter.

2. Special teams.
As the third most penalised team in the league, the improvement in special teams has reaped rewards. The powerplay could still do with some improvement, but when a man down they look very assured. Ryan Stone has been magnificent, throwing his all into the penalty kill and getting in the grill of the netminder on the powerplay. The improved penalty kill has led to a few shorthanded chances, including the one that led to Tapio Laakso's delightful penalty shot. The improved special teams seems to be a facet of the next point...

3. Better organisation.
Where as the play was fairly ramshackle at the start of the season, these days everybody seems well aware of their job and are willing to commit to it. The passing is a lot more fluid, especially when cycling the puck in the offensive zone.

4. All lines contributing.
Birner-Plihal-Vahalahti may not be the most potent top line in the league, but whilst Tepsi's fortunes hinged on their performances at the start of the season, now opposition teams need to do more than simply shut them down to win the game. The pace and shot of Anttila on the second is a completely different threat to that which the first line pose. Despite their limited ice time, even the fourth line forwards are causing their opponents problems. The performance in depth of the team is of course in part down to...

5. A healthy team.
Aside from the blessing in disguise Schwarz injury mentioned previously, the number of healthy players in the squad has generally been on the up in recent weeks. This adds competition in the squad and eases pressure on those who were struggling with responsibility their talents didn't account for.

6. Scalzo for Raboin.
Raboin left the club at its lowest point. Initially it left us threadbare on an already week defensive unit. However, I can't honestly say that the defence looked significantly worse after his departure. The addition of Mario Scalzo on the other hand has noticeably impacted the defence. He already looks very comfortable in the line up and his experience in the game shows. His offensive ventures seem more productive than those of Raboin, who scurried up the wing whilst Scalzo charges through the centre.

7. My friend Giovanni started going to games.
His presence obviously has zero impact on the actual game, but sports and superstition go hand in hand, so I thought it would be prudent to mention. He won't be at Saturday's game, so if Rauma win, we all know who to blame.

All in all it finally feels good to be a TPS fan in season 2011-12. It looked like another long season was in store but Pekka Virta has done a magnificent job in turning things around. I better start putting money aside for my playoff fund.

TPS Sign Mario Scalzo

Following on from three consecutive home victories, TPS have filled the Raboin shaped hole in their defence by signing defenceman Mario Scalzo. I contacted an Adler Mannheim fan for his opinion on the player. Here is what he had to say:

"Mario for me was just a bit too small for the DEL and although we had him for three seasons, he never really stood out. Likes to jump up into play and has a decent shot from the blue line. Steady without being spectacular for me. He cannot be that bad if he had four seasons in the AHL then to the DEL. Surprised he has gone to TPS though, thought he was on the downward track on his career. He can do a job but does not like the physical side."

I'm looking forward to seeing what he has to offer this Friday against Blues.

TPS 3-4 HPK (AOT)

After last week's game against Tappara I decided not to bother writing up a report and just putting it down to a bad day at work against a side who are no great shakes. We're eight games into the season now though, after a lengthy European Trophy pre-season and there comes a point when you can't continue to put results down to ironing out problems with a new roster and waiting for players to adjust to new systems.
The game started well last night and TPS were dominant in the opening period, with Vahalahti poking home the opener on the powerplay after reacting quickest when Virtala shoved the puck off the post. Following that it really was all TPS. The first line of Birner-Plihal-Cerny showed some lovely one touch passing and occasional individual skill, the likes of which have been almost completely absent this season. Despite the first being one way traffic it was worrying that HPK only conceded once. Tepsi have failed to control a game from start to finish and need to start converting possession into goals.

In that respect the second period was largely the opposite. Having started the period on the powerplay, HPK equalised soon after its expiry. Schwarz was by far the busier of the two goalies and it was against the run of play that TPS fired in two goals in the closing exchanges of the period. Firstly Tomas Plihal scored a lovely individual goal. Charging up the slot with his wingers advancing menacingly, he looked to pass to Birner but instead wristed a hard shot past the top right of Tolvanen. TPS have, at home at least, never looked like creating a goal out of nothing and having been goalless up until that point, Plihal needs to continue in this vein if the team are to be an offensive threat. TPS extended their lead for a second time when Marko Anttila used his size to stretch across a crowded goalmouth and somehow poke the puck goalwards. With a 3-1 lead against a HPK team who, despite long periods of possession in the second, didn't look threatening, I would imagine most in the crowd were confident of finally leaving the HK Areena with a smile on their face.

The third period was largely a turgid affair, lacking any intensity and neither side looking dangerous. However all that changed when Laamanen pulled a goal back with three and a half minutes on the clock. HPK then pushed for an equaliser, pulling Tolvanen. With the way games have been going this season it didn't seem to be much of a surprise when Scott Barney slotted home to send the game into overtime. A point dropped.
The extra session was eighty-five seconds old when TPS took a penalty for too many men. A poor penalty to take at any point in a game, let alone in overtime when momentum is against you. The penalty was defended well for the most part, but as soon as Piispanen netted his second of the night it was game over and the arena was empty within seconds. Two points dropped.

TPS were the better team in this game, had a two goal advantage with three and a half minutes left and somehow threw it away. Finding a way to lose games they are capable of winning is fast becoming a hallmark of this season. It makes you question the mental fortitude of the squad, what exactly is going through their minds and what on earth Virta is going to do about it.
The schedule has been very kind so far, only two of the eight games have been against teams in the top half of the table yet as of last night TPS have replaced HPK at the foot of it. SaiPa and Tappara were both winless before facing TPS, HPK's only other victory this season was the opener against TPS in Hämeenlinna. On Friday they travel to Pori to face a side challenging at the top end of the table. Then the following day HIFK come to town. Despite them having an out of sorts season of their own, their first line is more than enough to worry a home team defence prone to switching off and individual errors.
Worryingly the crowd was 500 down on last Tuesday's dismal display against Tappara. Fans are understandably starting to think this season will be a repeat of last and TPS need to start picking up points at home if crowds aren't to drop off even further.

Finally, the obligatory word about Rasmus Ristolainen. Only Mojzis averages more ice time than him so far this season. He certainly doesn't look like a sixteen year old rookie on the ice, and it's great to see him grab the chance he's been given. However, seeing him out in the overtime penalty kill perhaps says as much about the worrying state of the TPS roster as it does Ristolainen's obvious potential.