A lot is decided in January.
Stepping into the light.
In Salibandyliiga, no less than 50 games are played this month. Dreams will be crushed and goals for the season flushed down the toilet but also play off places secured.
For Erä, January means seven games out of which four are played at home. A chance to get even with Trackers, TPS, OLS and AC HaKi that escaped undefeated at first attempts.
Beating Trackers 7-2 in Mosahalli and NST 5-4 away was exactly the start the team wanted for the spring.
On Wednesday, it’s TPS at home.
The way to finish this half of the season
Finishing the autumn off right. Finnish Cup winners Tapanilan Erä celebrate after beating Koovee 9-5 in the final. The Herbstmeister of Salibandyliiga fought back well but could not stop the inspired and well-prepared Tapanila team.
Sweet compensation for all the work and sweat, starting in July to prepare for the EFC qualification. Bittersweet silver medals in EFC, getting to start the league spring at fourth place and now this. Feels good to see the trouble was not in vain.
The 6000 euro prize check comes in handy, too.
”It’s been a long season and now we’ll put the sticks aside for a fortnight”, assistant coach Joonas Naava said after the Cup final. ”But it won’t be all holidays and Christmas delicacies, though. We will be training, each player according to a schedule programmed for him personally. We’ve had to concentrate on three goals simultaneously but with two of them behind us now, we can set our focus on Salibandyliiga.”
Don’t forget to check out Mikko’s pics.
Second period, third goal by the menace
Here’s your headline: Classic’s super sniper sinks Erä.
Okay, it took a little more than Lassi Vänttinen’s hat trick to cause Erä’s second straight home loss. A sheeply first period by the home team, a good game by the opponent, a couple of shots that bounced the wrong way at the wrong moment.
But excuses are for losers.
We need 60 minutes of focused effort, gentlemen.
60+, if necessary.
Celebrating Lauri Kapanen's opener against Oilers.
Three games in four days. Two wins and a loss.
Erä won the biggest one of the week. Beating SPV away in the Finnish Cup secured the team a place among the top four that play for the Cup in December.
Eight good periods out of the week’s nine. And one bad enough to lose the game against Oilers. A healthy reminder of mortality, maybe. Jani Naumanen’s home shutout clock stopped at 173 minutes and 45 when Oilers’ Patrick Wardi scored on a power play. Frustrated Jani Kukkola went off simultaneously with the final buzzer, earning a red card. Misses next match, that means.
On Wednesday, it’s Classic.
Shutouts in two consecutive home games. 142 minutes and 20 seconds. That’s how long Erä and World Champion goalie Jani Naumanen have been able keep visitors from scoring in Erä’s home arena.
We can vaguely recall Josba’s Jukka Suomalainen scoring in the second period of Erä—Josba on October 24th.
Next challenge: Oilers at Vantaan Energia Areena on Saturday.
Revengette. Is that a word? It is now, Ron Manager might have said.
Beating SSV in overtime isn’t a complete revenge when you’re playing a regular season game versus a EuroFloorball Cup final but it definitely counts as a small one.
SSV won the face-off but Simon Riihelä and Jani Helenius took off after Kari-Matti Ratsula, wrestling the ball off his stick. Riihelä was first at it and sent a pass towards the far post where Jani Kukkola was marked by Mikael Järvi but still able to reach the ball and direct it past Henri Toivoniemi, stopping the game clock at 60.10.
Two points and another drop of self-confidence for Erä.
MOSAN OMAT is
a webzine covering Tapanilan Erä Floorball — by Tapanilan Erä Floorball.
Check out Erä Floorball
tapanilanera.fi »
Citizen of Facebook,
become a fan of Erä!
Kyllä, on täällä kamaa myös suomeksi!
Share on Facebook
RSS feed in English