EHM The Blue Line

Since it's becoming the time of the year when some teams here in europe start their summer holidays, and the games get a lot tougher, I thought why not make a thread for it. (Feel free to change the title, i suck at making those)

In Finland the last round of regular season is on tuesday, and since the season has been extremely even, some of the playoff match ups are not clear before tomorrow. We have this weird system where 6 teams gets a direct qualify for quarter finals, while teams from positions 7-10 will battle it out for the remaining two spots in a best of 2 series. Stupid, i know, but what can you do. Anyway, the table looks like this:

GP +/- P
Kärpät 55 75 115
Jokerit 55 45 108
HPK 55 37 102
Tappara 55 33 98
Blues 55 17 89
HIFK 55 5 87
---------------------------
TPS 55 13 86
Ilves 55 -7 80
Lukko 55 -11 78
Pelicans 55 -5 74
---------------------------
SaiPa 55 -33 69
JYP 55 -25 67
Ässät 55 -62 54
KalPa 55 -82 48

(sorry for the confusing table)

The likely quarterfinals pairs are:
Kärpät vs Lukko
Jokerit vs TPS
HPK vs HIFK
Tappara vs Blues

Keep in mind, these are just my predictions. I will report some more when i know some more :p

Too lazy to type the entire standings, I'll give you a screenie instead.



Of course, my beloved Frölunda had a terrible start sitting 11th after 19 games. They got rid of head coach Stephan Lundh and hired the crisis experienced Per Bäckman. It got better, finishing 5th in the standings if you exclude the first 19 games.

However, I'm not so keen on keeping Bäckman. It turned out he wasn't as feisty and "mean" as when he coached Färjestad in the 90's and later MoDo. Now we might be getting Timrå boss Kenta Johansson. Would really like to see Kenta behind the bench next season.

Now to the quarterfinals. As you may or may not know; the better placed teams in the SEL pick what team they wanna face first.

* Färjestad chose between Luleå and Mora, who sensationally got into the playoffs for the second time in three years. Färjestad went with Mora.
* HV was next, and had the choice to play either Luleå or Brynäs. They went with Brynäs, allegedly because of the tremendous slump Brynäs went through at the end.
* MoDo picked Timrå, saying it had to do with the lack of experience of the young Timrå team.
* Linköping didn't have a choice, and got to play Luleå. The teams played eachother in the quarterfinals last year as well and in a fight-filled series, Linköping could prevail.

Good idea How's that for a rename btw?

Very nice, Minstrel.

Update on the SEL playoffs...

Färjestad took comfortable 4-0 win away against Mora.

HV lost 4-3 in Gävle versus Brynäs. The game winning goal was pretty strange since Brynäs defenseman Antti Hulkkonen kicked the puck past HV netminder Erik Ersberg at first. The puck didn't go in, however, Brynäs players started to celebrate the goal. As the HV players rushed towards the ref to protest, Brynäs winger Daniel Widing put it into the gaping net.

Luleå was blasted at home, losing 6-1 against Linköping.

Timrå took a 2-1 win at home versus Modo. A total of 6 game misconducts were handed out, 4 of them given to Modo.

Yes, the name is a lot better than the original one.

So, the last round of regular season was played yesterday, and the standings are pretty much the same as on the day before, only Ilves and Lukko switched places. This means the two known quarter final pairs are HPK - HIFK and Tappara - Blues.

Teams battling it out in the pity playoffs are TPS - Pelicans and Lukko Ilves.

Pity playoffs start on this friday, and the quarter finals begin next weeks thursday.

Djurgården missed the play-offs. In the last game of the season, darn Linköping and Mora.

Oh and, i'm shocked at Frölunda's position. They did the same as Jokerit last season in SM-Liiga, only with better roster on paper. That's gotta hurt :F

eme wrote:Oh and, i'm shocked at Frölunda's position. They did the same as Jokerit last season in SM-Liiga, only with better roster on paper. That's gotta hurt :F

It really doesn't. I hadn't been expecting anything good since October.

However, I'm expecting a "Jokerit 2006/2007" from Frölunda next season.

Here's hoping for a successful pity playoff for TPS!

Systemfel, i wouldnt, Doug Shedden wont get it going in the playoffs, they'll end up in the bronze game ;> (says a bitter ifk fan whose neighbors stole our coach and one of our best upcoming players)

Hutch, just out of pure interest, howcome you like TPS? since you are from canada right?

Who did Jokerit steal more than Shedden? Hirschovits?

Btw, how are you liking my new Sean Bergenheim 'tar?

Yeah, Hirschovits is the one they stole.

Oh and he 'tar is great =). How did he do in frölunda? are you fans satisfied? In terms of points he seemed to do ok.

We loved Sean! His physical presence was greatly appreciated by the fans. Frölunda rarely signs hitting forwards that finish their checks, so we were very happy when he signed. Steve Kariya also seemed to like him and started scoring when he got here.

One thing I'll always remember was when Bergie got his knee taken out by Timrå captain (and known cheapshot guy) Sanny Lindström and left the game on one leg, only to come back and play despite his ACL injury. What heart.

eme wrote: Hutch, just out of pure interest, howcome you like TPS? since you are from canada right?

I chose them based off of who has played for them before: Miikka Kiprusoff, Saku Koivu, Mikko Koivu, Sami Salo, Jere Lehtinen, Antero Niittymaki, Frederik Norrena, Marko Kiprusoff, etc.

To think that in '98-'99 (I believe it was) they had three current NHL goalies in Kipper, Niitty, and Norrena!

The Hutch wrote: To think that in '98-'99 (I believe it was) they had three current NHL goalies in Kipper, Niitty, and Norrena!

Yeah, those were the days... and now they're just one period away from vacationing before the real play-offs even start.

BTW, there's a trivia question in there... which three current NHL goalies has Frederik Norrena played back-up to in Europe? You've got two right there, but there's a third one.

Easy: Pascale Leclaire...he may as well be in Europe...

But really: I am guessing here, Vesa Toskala?

Henrik Lundqvist, with Frolunda?

The Hutch wrote:Henrik Lundqvist, with Frolunda?

Might be correct. Lundqvist and Norrena were platooning, though.

Today Pelicans and TPS played their second game of the pity playoffs series, series being the type 'best of three'. Pelicans managed to win the first game on friday 2-0 and today they made it to quarter finals when they beat TPS 3-1 at their home arena.

Happy holidays TPS!
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3738/tpsrn8.jpg

The other pity playoffs series between Lukko and Ilves is tied at 1, when both teams have managed to win their home games. The last game will be played on tuesday at Rauma, Lukko's home arena.

Doesn't sound like Pelicans had too hard of a time, better luck next season Turku!

SEL Playoff Update
Färjestad won 2-4 in Game 3 versus Mora and has a 3-0 series lead.
Brynäs took another home win against HV 71 and now leads 2-1.
Modo beat Timrå 3-4 in double OT and took a 2-1 lead in the series.
Linköping won 1-2 in Luleå and has a 3-0 lead.

Teams will play Game 4 tomorrow. Look for Färjestad and Linköping to clinch semi-finals spots.

Systemfel wrote:

The Hutch wrote:Henrik Lundqvist, with Frolunda?

Might be correct. Lundqvist and Norrena were platooning, though.

It is. Although it's true as you say that they didn't have clear-cut starter/back-up roles.

How's Steve Kariya doing in the SEL? I liked watching him play here for the Maine Blackbears. It's really too bad that he never made it in the NHL, but I think now with the new rules he might have done better. I see him as kind of a Brian Gionta type player - small but quick and a good scorer - at least he was in college. I think he was just the wrong type of player at the wrong time.

Thanks for the updates everyone, I wish here in the US we got more coverage of international hockey. I blame Bettman

Steve did play in the NHL for a bit. With a lowly Vancouver team. And he was part of that lowly. The only time he has ever been big. He was a big part of the low. Too bad, cause I like him and his brothers and sister.