Read below for information about the eighth-final series between Lukko Rauma and TPS Turku. Lukko won 8–5 on aggregate to advance to the quarter-finals.

Game 2

It seemed like an impossible task for TPS Turku, after losing by four goals on home ice, to try to reverse that on the road. But they got off to a good start with two goals in the first 12 minutes. Lukko regrouped in the first intermission, however, and out-scored TPS the rest of the way to secure a quarter-final berth. Ryan Lasch led TPS offensively, as he usually does, with two goals and one assist, while Olli Sipilainen's shorthanded goal in the first minute of the third period turned out to be the series aggregate winner.

Despite advancing to the quarter-finals, Lukko weren't very pleased with their game at home, particularly the start. Assistant coach Juha Vuorhi commented afterward, "The way we started the game the first few minutes wasn't what we were looking for. In fact we tried to dig the whole game to get back playing the way we wanted. This wasn't the best of us."

READ the live blog here | WATCH the highlights here

Young Lukko D-man Tommila on adjusting to pro: "Don't think too much ... Just play"

Game 1

Lukko got the first two goals of the game in Turku, led 2–1 after one period, and eventually won 5–1 to take a commanding four-goal lead into their home half of their series. Aaron Gagnon scored the game-winning goal and added two assists for the winners, while Ville Vahalahti and defenceman Janne Niskala had two points each. Tero Koskiranta scored the lone TPS goal.

READ the live blog here | WATCH the highlights here

TPS Turku make coaching change

Preview

An all-Finnish tie between Lukko and TPS means that Finland will have at least one team guaranteed a place in the next round. Lukko cruised through to this stage and is cruising through Liiga as well in first place. TPS, meanwhile, barely squeeked into the CHL playoff round and are having troubles domestically, sitting in 9th out of 15 teams. Both teams have hot goaltending, so will need to find a way to score on each other. Interestingly, these two teams have already met twice this season, with both teams winning at home – Lukko 3–2 and TPS 4–1, the latter game just six days before the start of this tie.

Closer look: Lukko Rauma

(5-0-0-1, 15 points, 21:17, 1st in Group K)

Lukko had a pretty easy ride through the group stage, with only Luleå beating them on the way to round two. They topped Group K, although did have an early scare in the opening game when the Nottingham Panthers came from 2–0 down to tie the score before the Finnish club went on to win 4–2. Lukko won three of their six group games by shutouts, including both games against the Hamburg Freezers. In Finland’s Liiga, Lukko is on a roll and battling for top spot with KalPa Kuopio as this tie gets set to begin.

Teemu

Nurmi

4+4, +4

 

CRAMO Top Scorer: With eight points in round one (4+4), Teemu Nurmi leads Lukko in the CHL, although Ville Vahalahti’s numbers in the Liiga can’t go unnoticed.

 

Janne

Niskala

1+3, +6

 

Top Defenceman: Janne Niskala was key to Lukko's defence during the group stage. He had four points on the strength of a goal and three assists and was also a club-leading plus-6.

 

Ryan

Zapolski

95.89 %

 

Top Goaltender: Ryan Zapolski's save percentage of 95.89 in the group stage is some statistic, although the fact that Lukko only conceded seven goals in total can partially explain it. He also boasts solid Liiga numbers, starting most of the team’s games so far.

 

Click here for team statistics

Closer look: TPS Turku

(3-1-1-1, 12 points, 21:12, 2nd in Group F)

TPS can count themselves very lucky to have made the next round of the CHL, having qualified as the lowest-ranked team – narrowly edging out the Växjö Lakers. They finished behind Linköping in Group F, suffering a surprising defeat in Bolzano along the way. TPS are struggling somewhat in Liiga play, although with many teams close together in points there's no need to panic yet. One of their problems has been goal-scoring, which is something they’ll need to improve on.

Ryan

Lasch

2+4, +1

 

CRAMO Top Scorer: Ryan Lasch is a small, but skilled offensive winger who is loved by fans wherever he goes. He is best-known for his great shot and skating skills, which often force the opponent to draw penalties when playing against him. He notched two goals and four assists in the opening round.

 

Petteri

Nummelin

0+2, -1

 

Top Defenceman: As a team, TPS is solid defensively, led by team captain Petteri Nummelin. Interestingly, Nummelin moved to TPS from Lukko, where he posted 32 points in 47 regular-season and playoff games last year, so he will know his opponent well if he plays – at last report he is out of the lineup with an injury.

 

Teemu

Lassila

94.49 %

 

Top Goaltender: Teemu Lassila played all six of the group games and ended with a 94.49% save percentage. In Liiga play he has appeared in every game for TPS, holding them in many games despite getting out-shot badly.

 

Click here for team statistics

Related Links

11.10.2014 – Interview: TPS match-up with Rauma "very interesting" says Ari Vuori

14.09.2014 – Interview: Lukko's Jerry Ahtola: "We've played very well in the CHL"

10.09.2014 – Interview: TPS captain Nummelin: "We have to be better than last season

02.09.2014 – Interview: TPS's Ryan Lasch is "very excited about the CHL"

23.08.2014 – Interview: Aaron Gagnon: "We knew it was going to be different"