SaiPa Lappeenranta were shut out 2–0 in Geneva last week and now must win by at least two goals in the second leg to prolong their CHL season. Head coach Pekka Tirkkonen admits that adjusting to Genève-Servette's style of play hasn't been easy, but that his team will be ready to do what's necessary on home ice.
by Kalle Matere
LAPPEENRANTA - Head coach Pekka Tirkkonen admits that his team has had problems, especially with scoring, as they haven't won a game during regulation time in a month. During their slump in the Finnish Liiga, SaiPa Lappeenranta have played nine games and lost four of them, but gained points in the standings with a total of five overtime decisions.
After losing the first leg to Genève-Servette 2–0, Tirkkonen still believes his team has a chance to advance to the quarter-finals. The SaiPa bench boss admits that Genève are not the type of opponent that the team usually faces in the Liiga.
“Genève's style of play is something that we're not used to. For instance, it's not typical of Finnish clubs to shoot the puck from their own end of the rink towards our goalie and have wingers race towards our goal to give pressure, or deflect it towards the goal from centre ice. The Genève wingers are fast skaters and we have to be careful with them.
“The way they play is very North American,” Tirkkonen continued. “This probably has to do with Canadian head coach Chris McSorley and several players with NHL backgrounds. And with these guys we don't talk about just one or two games in the NHL, we're talking about 300 games.”
Tirkkonen is right about that. Genève have five players in their lineup with at least 271 games of NHL experience, although the most experienced – winger Taylor Pyatt with 928 games – is currently injured. SaiPa's most experienced NHLer is their most experienced player – 39-year-old goaltender Jussi Markkanen has played 135.
But if their styles of play differ, one similarity between the two teams is how important advancing in the Champions Hockey League is to both.
“I am very happy to play in the CHL,” Genève forward Kevin Romy said after scoring game one's only two goals. “It's great for the city of Geneva and for the team to prove ourselves on the international scene. We can show that Swiss hockey is very good, and that we can compete and win against Swedish and Finnish teams.”
As for Tirkkonen, he says that his team has enjoyed every minute of the tournament.
“The CHL hasn't worn us out at all,” he said, dismissing the notion that it's too many games. “We only had three extra games after the start of the Liiga schedule as first four group stage games were played before the season started. I have nothing but positive things to say about the CHL.”
Tirkkonen, a former draftee of the Boston Bruins in 1986, enjoys international games even as a coach. As a player Tirkkonen played in five different countries, winning a total of six championships along the way. But as a coach the thrill of international games hasn't gone anywhere.
“International games, such as in the CHL are, how should I put it, games for real men. The pace and toughness in the games are even harder than in any domestic league. The nice thing about the CHL is that you get completely differnet teams against you and you get to see completely different styles of play that you are use to.”