The future head coach of the Lions was embarrassed after an etiquette mistake.
Tampere
SM league the giant fiasco of Ilves, who entered the playoffs even as the biggest favorite for the championship, culminated on Good Friday night in the Nokia Arena.
KalPa claimed a controlled 4–2 away win from Tampere. The standoff in the regular season progressed to the semifinals with a crushing 4–1 match win.
At the same time, the future head coach of the Lions ended Antti Pennanen the one and a half year old washed in Ilves. It ended up being a worse pancake. Ilves, who entered Pennanen’s playoff spring with huge hopes and expectations, managed to win one poor playoff series in two seasons under the master coach.
When the buzzer sounded on Friday in the Nokia-arena to mark the end of Pennanen’s Ilves-pesti, many in the stands rubbed their eyes. Pennanen did not go to shake the opponent’s hand on the ice as usual, but quickly left the substitute’s bench and entered the hall.
How big a disappointment is this, Antti Pennanen?
“Yes, this is going to the maximum. It will probably come a little later too, when there is still a bit of laps and game mode to catch up on.”
You didn’t shake hands with KalPa’s players or coaching on the ice after the match. Why don’t you?
“I apologize for that now. It was quite an accident. That really… If that’s the practice in the league, then I apologize. It has nothing to do with it. I thought I’d go over there to shake hands (at the opponent’s locker room). Familiar men, there was absolutely no bad behavior. I apologize.”
Ilves’ season ended in harsh disappointment. The head coach was not seen during the final handshakes.
What is your responsibility in this Ilves disaster?
“Well, I bear my own responsibility, of course. The head coach probably bears the biggest responsibility. And really… Big, of course.”
Embarrassing?
” Well… Hmm… I’m disappointed. Disappointed.”
You were hired in Ilves to raise the team to a championship, at least to the final level. In two years, you only beat Pori Ässät in the playoff series. Why did this happen twice in a row?
“There are many reasons for that. The analyzes have to be done a little later. I don’t have a single reason to tell you.”
Why did Ilves get stuck in this series like last spring against Pelicans? Or was it about the goodness of KalPa?
“I think it’s more KalPa’s goodness. There are probably individual moments where there was something, but if you watched that game even today, yes, there was a draw there all-in. Nervousness was perhaps visible in special situations. And in some individual players at certain moments.”
You must be in a pretty difficult place now to step into the helm of the Lions after such a playoff fiasco. Or how do you see it yourself?
“Well, that’s a completely different project. I haven’t thought about that. That…”
How did you plan to reset this disappointment?
“Probably home. First we talk with the coaching team. Then home.”
In the regular season Ilves’ star players were at the top of the points charts, but there was no information about it in the playoffs. Ilves froze collectively.
In five KalPa matches, Ilves’ most effective was 2+1 Eemeli Finland.
The winner of the points exchange of the regular season Oula Palve piled up 0+2, goal guns of the regular season Jani Nyman and Joona Ikonen’s 1+1 man. The winner of the defenders’ points exchange Sami Niku fell to just one assist point in the playoffs.
“Probably, as ambitious players, they wonder if they could have come more. But I appreciate Eemeli Finland. Not many people would have played with the injury he played with. Tough warrior. But they will surely be disappointed. Undoubtedly, the opponent’s first chain was damn good. But the players certainly gave their all, Pennanen said.”