Tappara managed to score those 20 goals whilst letting only 10 goals into their own net!

But the Liiga side, who were cruising sky high in top place of Group E, where soon to get a wake up call in the form of a crushing 6-1 defeat from Skellefteå AIK.

But the Finns did exactly what was required in the following game, beating Skellefteå 4-2 to secure top spot in Group E and their seventh Playoffs qualification! Overall, ending the Group Stage with a 5-1 record.

Round of 16 curse broken

The CHL veterans have played in six previous CHL seasons and have qualified for the Playoffs in each and every one of them. Yet they have never made it past the Round of 16, bowing out in the first round each year.

For a club like Tappara, who regularly finish top in the Group Stage and are a European powerhouse, not managing to string together a long Playoffs run became a thing of CHL folklore over the years and was dubbed “Tappara’s Round of 16 curse”.

But this season it was finally broken.

The Finns were drawn against SHL side the Växjö Lakers for the Round of 16 and after an indecisive 2-2 First Game in Sweden, the ball was in Tappara’s park to put on a performance of the season.

But after forty minutes of game time, it was 2021 SHL champions Växjö who were a step closer to the Quarter-Finals, winning the series 4-3 with just the final period remaining.

Up stepped Patrik Virta, Anton Levtchi and Veli-Matti Vittasmäki who all found the back of Växjö’s net to propel Tappara into new found territory – the Quarter-Finals!

Scoring when it counts

The Quarter-Finals pitted the Finns against French side the Rouen Dragons.

And similarly to the round prior, Tappara and Rouen ended the First Game locked at 3-3, with all to play for in the Return Game.

Tappara did not disappoint, entering the Return Game all guns blazing. The Finns outshot Rouen 53 to 18 to win the game 4-0 and cement their place among the final four of the season.

Tappara’s Kyle Platzer was one of Tappara’s most important players in the Quarter-Finals and his performances didn’t go unnoticed.

The 26-year-old Canadian-born forward scored the first goal in the First Game against Rouen and went on to pick up an assist as well.

In the Return Game in France, Platzer scored in the second period resulting in him being named in the five-man Team of the Quarter-Finals.

Shutout victory in all or nothing game

After much COVID-related delay, Tappara finally lined-up against Red Bull Munich for their most important 60 minutes of game time of the season.

A quick goal from Kristian Kuusela, who is usually on the passing end of goals, early into the game was the only goal of the game for nearly 50 minutes, until Tappara’s Joona Luoto added another to Tappara’s lead at 51:47 and Kuusela completed his brace two minutes later to finalise the score at 3-0.

”This is a huge opportunity for us. It’s amazing,” said Tappara defenceman Otso Rantakari after clinching their place in the Final, “we approach it as a big chance to prove ourselves.”

Can they go all the way?

Tappara qualifying for the Final is no accident as the Finns have played some of their best hockey during the 2021/22 campaign.

A quick look at their current stats gives a glimpse of just how impressive the club have been from the first puck drop back in August. They have scored 41 goals this season, which is 3.73 goals per game and are among the top three in goal differential (+16) and top five in powerplay percentage (32.65%).

There’s no doubt they are an experienced team who have been around the block, but will they have that magic touch and pinpoint precision when the big game against Rögle Ängelholm rolls around? Let's see!