After losing their first two games, TPS Turku’s backs weren’t quite up against the wall yet, but they were getting close. Then they gave up an early goal to SC Bern and continued to trail 1-0 after two periods before scoring three times in the third to win 3-1.
Just 1:11 had elapsed when Bern opened the scoring on a brilliant individual effort from Andrew Ebbett, beating two TPS defenceman and then goaltender Oskari Setänen with a wrister. TPS got some great chances in the second period to tie it but Leonardo Genoni made some big saves in the Bern net. He couldn’t hold out forever, though.
In the second minute of the third period, veteran Éric Perrin tied the game when he knocked down an errant clearing attempt with his glove, then drilled a slapper past Genoni. Seven minutes later, TPS took the lead when Jonne Virtanen put in a rebound with his team putting on heavy pressure. Finally, TPS fans sighed in relief with 7:20 to play when Ilari Filppula led the rush and dished a nice pass to Tomi Kallio, who fired quickly and accurately.
“It was nice to get to play but it was pretty horrible, with the shape I’m in. So there’s more to do, but you got to start from somewhere. A tough game right at the beginning. But it was okay. More work needs to be done before I’m back in shape.”Ilkka Pikkarainen, forward, TPS Turku