Liiga 2018/19

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Master:	HPK Hämeenlinna
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The 2018/19 season was the 44th season of the Finnish professional ice hockey league and the sixth since it was renamed Liiga . It is the top Finnish league in ice hockey . The championship was won by HPK Hämeenlinna , who defeated the main round winner Oulun Kärpät 4: 3 in the play-off final and thus won the second championship title in the club's history after 2006 .

Attendees

HIFK HPK Ilves Jukurit Sports JYP KalPa KooKoo Kärpät Lukko Pelicans SaiPa Tappara TPS Ässät

Map of all club locations for the 2018/19 season

team	place	Hall	capacity	Head coach	captain
HIFK	Helsinki	Helsingin Jäähalli	8,200	Jarno Pikkarainen	Lennart Petrell
HPK	Hämeenlinna	Ritari-areena	5,360	Antti Pennanen	Otto Paajanen
Ilves	Tampere	Tampereen jäähalli	7,800	Karri Kivi	Eemeli Suomi
Jukurit	Mikkeli	Ikioma Areena	4,200	Pekka Kangasalusta	Miika Roine
JYP	Jyväskylä	LähiTapiola Areena	4,618	Risto Dufva	Juha-Pekka Hytönen
KalPa	Kuopio	Kuopion jäähalli	5,064	Sami Kapanen	Tommi Jokinen
KooKoo	Kouvola	Lumon Areena	6,200	Mikko Heiskanen	Toni Kähkönen
Kärpät	Oulu	Oulun Energia Areena	6,614	Mikko Manner	Atte Ohtamaa
Lukko	Rauma	Kivikylan Areena	5,400	Pekka Virta	Janne Niskala
Pelicans	Lahti	Isku Areena	5,098	Ville Nieminen	Hannes Björninen
SaiPa	Lappeenranta	Kisapuisto	4,820	Tero Lehterä	Ville Koho
Sports	Vaasa	Vaasa Areena	4,300	Ari-Pekka Pajuluoma	Erik Riska
Tappara	Tampere	Tampereen jäähalli	7,800	Jukka Rautakorpi	Kristian Kuusela
TPS	Turku	Gatorade Center	11,820	Kalle Kaskinen	Lauri Korpikoski
Ässät	Pori	Porin jäähalli	6,500	Pasi Kaukoranta	Tommi Taimi

Change of coach

team	Previous trainer	date	Table space	New trainer
Ässät	Mikael Kotkaniemi	November 9, 2018	15th	Pasi Kaukoranta
KooKoo	Tuomas Tuokkola	January 8, 2019	14th	Mikko Heiskanen
JYP	Lauri Merikivi	January 14, 2019	12.	Risto Dufva
HIFK	Ari-Pekka Selin	January 25, 2019	7th	Jarno Pikkarainen

Main round

mode

Each of the 15 teams plays 60 games in the main round. Each game consists of 3 times 20 minutes. If there is a tie after the regular time, five minutes of extra time will be played. The first goal in extra time decides the game for the team that scores the goal. In the event that a winner is still not found after extra time, the game will be decided by a shootout .

A team wins 3 points in regular time. A win after extra time is rewarded with 2 points, a defeat with 1 point. There are no points for a loss in regular time.

table

Pl.		Sp	S.	N	OTS	OTN	Gates	TVH	Points
1.	Kärpät (M)	60	41	6th	2	11	207: 101	+106	137
2.	Tappara	60	32	3	6th	19th	177: 150	+27	108
3.	Pelicans	60	30th	3	8th	19th	199: 154	+45	104
4th	TPS	60	29	5	6th	20th	164: 152	+12	103
5.	HPK	60	25th	8th	8th	19th	168: 147	+21	99
6th	HIFK	60	24	8th	10	18th	182: 169	+13	98
7th	Lukko	60	26th	5	8th	21st	170: 165	+5	96
8th.	Ilves	60	23	8th	6th	23	169: 170	−1	91
9.	SaiPa	60	21st	10	5	24	156: 162	−6	88
10.	JYP	60	17th	12	7th	24	145: 155	−10	82
11.	Sports	60	17th	11	8th	24	182: 205	−23	81
12.	KalPa	60	18th	7th	8th	27	153: 186	−33	76
13.	KooKoo	60	18th	6th	7th	29	157: 197	−40	73
14th	Jukurit	60	13	8th	12	27	145: 179	−34	67
15th	Ässät	60	9	7th	6th	38	117: 199	−82	47

Abbreviations: Pl. = Place, Sp = games, S = victories, OTS = victories after extra time ( overtime ), OTN = defeats after extra time, N = defeats, TVH = goal difference, M = previous year's champions
Explanations: Play-off quarter-finals , Pre -Play-offs , season ended

Best scorer

Source : liiga.fi; Abbreviations: Sp = games, T = goals, V = assists , pts = points, +/- = plus / minus , SM = penalty minutes; Fat: best value

player	team	Sp	T	V	Pt	SM	+/-
Malte Strömwall	KooKoo	52	30th	27	57	48	+7
Ville Leskinen	Kärpät	58	29	28	57	12	+31
Teemu Turunen	HPK	57	20th	34	54	20th	+4
Kristian Kuusela	Tappara	60	19th	35	54	16	+15
Justin Danforth	Lukko	59	18th	34	52	73	+7
Oliwer Kaski	Pelicans	59	19th	32	51	10	+9
Oula Palve	TPS	53	16	35	51	79	+5
Erik Thorell	HIFK	47	24	25th	49	8th	+28
Jesse Saarinen	Pelicans	54	14th	35	49	18th	+10
Miikka Pitkänen	KooKoo	60	16	32	48	48	+5
Jarkko Immonen	JYP	60	15th	32	47	42	+5
Nicklas Lasu 1	Kärpät	58	10	27	37	30th	+35
Otto Karvinen 2	Kärpät	52	2	8th	10	131	-1

For comparison: ¹ player with the best plus / minus statistics; ² players with the most penalty minutes

Best goalkeeper

Source: Liiga; Abbreviations: Sp = games, Min = ice age (in minutes), GT = goals conceded, SO = shutouts , Sv% = shots saved (in%) , GTS = goals conceded ; Fat: best value

player	team	Sp	Min	S.	U	N	SVS	GT	GTS	Sv%	SO
Veini Vehviläinen	Kärpät	38	2290: 21	25th	5	8th	832	60	1.58	93.27	6th
Jussi Rynnäs	Kärpät	21st	1265: 55	16	2	3	452	34	1.62	93.00	4th
Emil Larmi	HPK	36	2011: 20	14th	8th	13	700	70	1.94	90.91	4th
Henrik Haukeland	TPS	26th	1513: 33	14th	2	9	609	57	2.19	91.44	1
Lassi Lehtinen	Lukko	38	2132: 26	16	9	9	780	84	2.21	90.28	2
Eetu Laurikainen	JYP	44	2579: 43	12	13	17th	1074	98	2.23	91.64	3
Juho Olkinuora	Pelicans	39	2305: 38	24	4th	11	973	88	2.26	91.71	4th
Oskari Setänen	Lukko	30th	1487: 36	10	4th	12	572	70	2.33	89.10	3
Rasmus Tirronen	TPS	34	2022: 38	14th	9	11	829	81	2.38	91.10	3
Christian Heljanko	Tappara	47	2753: 15	21st	8th	17th	1058	114	2.43	90.27	5
Frans Tuohimaa	SaiPa	48	2897: 31	16	14th	18th	1121	118	2.46	90.48	4th
Sami Rajaniemi	Jukurit	50	2898: 39	10	17th	20th	1184	128	2.56	90.24	0

Play-offs

mode

Places 1-6 were automatically qualified for the play-offs. Places 7-10 had to prevail in an additional best-of-3 round, with 7th place against 10th place and 8th place against 9th place. The teams that had won the most of seven games in the quarter-finals or semi-finals against their opponents qualified for the semi-finals or final. Seven games were also played in the final. Whoever won the most games was the winner of the season. The losers in the semi-finals played in just one game for third place in the small final. The respective opponents were put together so that the top ranked team plays against the worst, the second best, against the second worst, and so on. As in the main season, a game lasted 3 times 20 minutes. After the regular time, extensions of 20 minutes each were played until a winner was found through a decisive goal.

Tournament tree

qualification

Quarter finals

Semifinals

final

1.

Kärpät

4th

8th.

Ilves

0

7th

Lukko

2

1.

Kärpät

4th

10.

JYP

1

6th

HIFK

2

2.

Tappara

4th

7th

Lukko

0

(The teams are reset after the first two rounds.)

1.

Kärpät

3

5.

HPK

4th

3.

Pelicans

2

6th

HIFK

4th

8th.

Ilves

2

2.

Tappara

2

9.

SaiPa

1

5.

HPK

4th

4th

TPS

2

5.

HPK

4th

Pre-play-offs

The games in best-of-three mode took place from March 16 to 19, 2019.

	series	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3
Lukko - JYP	2: 1	5: 1 game report	1: 4 game report	4: 1 game report
Ilves - SaiPa	2: 1	3: 2 by agreement. Match report	2: 3 n.V. Match report	4: 2 game report

Quarter finals

The quarter-finals were held from March 22nd to 30th, 2019

	series	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
Kärpät - Ilves	4-0	4: 3 by agreement. Match report	4-0 game report	2: 1 game report	3: 2 by agreement. Match report	-	-	-
Tappara - Lukko	4-0	3-2 game report	3-2 game report	3-2 game report	2: 1 game report	-	-	-
Pelicans - HIFK	2: 4	6-0 game report	2: 3 game report	1: 2 by agreement. Match report	1: 3 game report	5: 1 game report	1: 2 game report	-
TPS - HPK	1: 4	2: 3 game report	3: 5 game report	3: 2 by agreement. Match report	1: 2 game report	2: 3 n.V. Match report	-	-

Semifinals

The semifinal series took place from April 3rd to 15th, 2019.

	series	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
Kärpät - HIFK	4: 2	3: 2 by agreement. Match report	2: 3 game report	3-0 game report	0: 2 game report	2: 1 n.v. game report	3-0 game report	-
Tappara - HPK	2: 4	1-0 game report	1: 4 game report	3: 2 by agreement. Match report	1: 2 by agreement. Match report	2: 3 game report	3: 4 game report	-

3rd place match

April 19, 2019 6:30 p.m.

Tappara Tampere N. Ojamäki (21:09) O. Rauhala (28:03) T. Záborský (75:11)

3: 2 n.V. (0: 0, 2: 0, 0: 2, 1: 0) game report

HIFK Helsinki T. Eronen (42:39) J. Tyrväinen (56:32)

Tampereen jäähalli , Tampere spectators: 5,002

final

April 20, 2019 5:00 p.m.

Kärpät Oulu J. Hakanpää (18:49) M. Krištof (49:42) L. Kukkonen (57:47) V. Leskinen (58:21)

4: 1 (1: 1, 0: 0, 3: 0) game report

HPK Hämeenlinna T. Turunen (7:18)

Oulun Energia Areena , Oulu Spectators: 6,200

April 23, 2019 6:30 p.m.

HPK Hämeenlinna J. Tavi (29:13) T. Turunen (29:27) J. Tavi (41:57)

3: 1 (0: 1, 2: 0, 1: 0) game report

Kärpät Oulu M. Niemelä (13:16)

Ritari-areena , Hämeenlinna Spectators: 5.113

April 25, 2019 6:30 p.m.

Kärpät Oulu

0: 3 (0: 1, 0: 1, 0: 1) game report

HPK Hämeenlinna M. Nenonen (1:14) F. Riska (33:14) J. Tavi (59:04)

Oulun Energia Areena, Oulu Spectators: 5,926

April 27, 2019 5:00 p.m.

HPK Hämeenlinna V. Puustinen (4:19) T. Turunen (20:46)

2: 4 (1: 1, 1: 2, 0: 1) game report

Kärpät Oulu O. Osala (15:37) J. Lindsten (23:01) J. Lindsten (32:45) V. Leskinen (58:19)

Ritari-areena, Hämeenlinna spectators: 5,360

April 29, 2019 6:30 p.m.

Kärpät Oulu T. Kivihalme (2:48) O. Karvinen (38:21)

2: 0 (1: 0, 1: 0, 0: 0) game report

HPK Hämeenlinna

Oulun Energia Areena, Oulu Spectators: 5,805

May 2, 2019 6:30 p.m.

HPK Hämeenlinna V. Puustinen (28:57)

1: 0 (0: 0, 1: 0, 0: 0) game report

Kärpät Oulu

Ritari-areena, Hämeenlinna spectators: 5,272

May 4, 2019 5:00 p.m.

Kärpät Oulu J. Lindsten (7:41)

1: 2 n.V. (1: 0, 0: 1, 0: 0, 0: 1) Match report as of: 3: 4

HPK Hämeenlinna A ,. Laatikainen (34:16) M. Nenonen (75:24)

Oulun Energia Areena, Oulu Spectators: 6,200

Finnish champions squad

Finnish champion HPK Hämeenlinna

Goalkeepers: Antti Karjalainen , Emil Larmi Defenders: Niclas Almari , Jan Brejcak , Miro Karjalainen , Arto Laatikainen , Roope Laavainen , Jesper Lindgren , Markus Niemeläinen , Petteri Nikkilä Attackers: Philippe Cornet , Niklas Friman , Jere Innala , Henri Kanninen , Filip Krivosik , Jaakko Kuusisto , Robert Leino , Niclas Lucenius , Markus Nenonen , Otto Paajanen , Valtteri Puustinen , Filip Riska , Miro Ruokonen , Erkka Seppälä , Janne Tavi , Teemu Turunen , Eetu Tuulola Coaching staff: Antti Pennanen , Antti Miettinen , Juuso Nieminen , Timo Turunen

Best scorer

Source : liiga.fi; Abbreviations: Sp = games, T = goals, V = assists , pts = points, +/- = plus / minus , SM = penalty minutes; Fat: best value

player	team	Sp	T	V	Pt	SM	+/-
Ville Leskinen	Kärpät	17th	7th	8th	15th	6th	+5
Teemu Turunen	HPK	17th	5	9	14th	0	+7
Petteri Nikkilä	HPK	18th	4th	9	13	14th	+4
Robert Leino	HPK	18th	2	10	12	6th	-2
Jere Innala	HPK	18th	2	9	11	4th	-8th
Teemu Suhonen	Tappara	11	2	8th	10	0	0
Teemu kivi straws	Kärpät	16	4th	5	9	6th	+7
Kristian Kuusela	Tappara	11	4th	5	9	4th	+1
Markus Nenonen	HPK	18th	4th	5	9	10	-2
Nicklas Lasu 1	Kärpät	17th	2	6th	8th	16	+11
Oskar Osala 2	Kärpät	13	2	1	3	45	+4

For comparison: ¹ player with the best plus / minus statistics; ² players with the most penalty minutes

Best goalkeeper

Source: Liiga; Abbreviations: Sp = games, Min = ice age (in minutes), GT = goals conceded, SO = shutouts , Sv% = shots saved (in%) , GTS = goals conceded ; Fat: best value

player	team	Sp	Min	S.	N	GT	GTS	SVS	Sv%	SO
Veini Vehviläinen	Kärpät	17th	1057: 37	11	6th	25th	1.47	383	93.87	4th
Juho Olkinuora	Pelicans	6th	360: 14	2	4th	10	1.67	176	94.62	1
Emil Larmi	HPK	18th	1128: 13	12	6th	31	1.72	423	93.17	2
Henrik Haukeland	TPS	4th	245: 21	1	3	8th	2.00	89	91.75	0
Christian Heljanko	Tappara	11	633: 56	7th	4th	23	2.09	243	91.35	1
Lassi Lehtinen	Lukko	6th	311: 23	2	4th	13	2.17	100	88.50	0
Atte Engren	HIFK	13	812: 46	6th	7th	30th	2.31	297	90.83	1
Lukáš Dostál	Ilves	7th	457: 23	2	5	19th	2.71	186	90.73	0

Web links

• Official website of the Liiga

Individual evidence

1. ↑ HPK Hämeenlinna wins the second championship after 2006. In: hockeyweb.de. May 7, 2019, accessed May 20, 2019 . 
2. ↑ IS: Liigajumboksi juuttunut Ässät antoi potkut nyt myös Kotkaniemelle. In: Yle. November 9, 2018, accessed March 14, 2019 . 
3. ↑ KooKoo antoi potkut päävalmentaja Tuomas Tuokkolalle - MM-kultaluotsi Jussi Ahokas hyppää puikkoihin ensi kaudella. In: Iltalehti. January 8, 2019, accessed March 14, 2019 . 
4. ↑ Merikivelle potkut - Dufva palaa Jyväskylään. In: Jatkoaika.com. January 14, 2019, accessed March 14, 2019 . 
5. ↑ HIFK irtisanoi päävalmentaja Ari-Pekka Selinin - Kakkosvalmentaja nousee ykköseksi. In: Jatkoaika.com. January 25, 2019, accessed March 14, 2019 . 
6. ↑ 2018-2019 Runkosarja Player Statistics. liiga.fi, accessed on May 20, 2019 . 
7. ↑ liiga.fi, Perustilastot - Runkosarja 2018-2019 - Maalivahdit
8. ↑ 2018-2019 Playoffs Player Statistics. liiga.fi, accessed on May 20, 2019 . 
9. ↑ liiga.fi, Perustilastot - Playoffs 2018-2019 - Maalivahdit