JYP's late goal gives healthy lead
Miklik had a goal on the night (Photo: Jiri Halttunen)
A late Jani Tuppurainen goal at 56:17 put JYP two goals ahead in their matchup against Tappara after the first leg in Jyväskylä.
The home side took the lead in the opening period, Michel Miklik notching the go-ahead goal with 10:41 gone. A goalless middle period was followed by a perfect start in the third as Antti Suomela put them two up with 41:40 played.
Tappara looked to have got themselves a vital deficit-halving goal with just under 13 minutes to play through Juhani Jasu, but Tuppurainen’s late marker ensures that JYP go to Tampere next week with a two-goal cushion.
"Offensively we were maybe a bit better, we managed to get the puck towards the net at the right times and we had players going to the net as well. We managed to create turnovers, the goal I scored was because of a turnover in their end."Antti Suomela (forward, JYP Jyväskylä)
"JYP was more efficient on their scoring chances. We had chances for more goals too but we weren’t able to use them like JYP did on their opportunities."Juhani Jasu (forward, Tappara Tampere)