Played on Oct 17, 2025
Game Played in Tampere Jaahalli (Hakametsa)
General Game Notes: Another U20 SM-sarja game was played in Tampere. Ilves was the better team from start to finish and outplayed Espoo in almost every aspect of the game. The biggest domination came in the second period.
Jimi Kuivila (G, L, 5’10”, 172, Ilves, 08/27/2005)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Jimi is a left-handed goaltender of smaller to medium stature, who faced 28 shots in the game and allowed only one goal. He showed good reaction and positioning in the crease and made key saves whenever needed. He was strong on the goal line and effectively tracked the puck on shots from the blue line, even through traffic in front of him.
Otto Kuitunen (D, L, 5’10”, 177, Ilves U20, 04/14/2006)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Otto is a left-handed defenseman of medium stature who played in his team’s first pairing. He delivered a strong performance in the first and second periods, while in the third period he was less noticeable. He is a good skater with efficient movement and a capable puck mover, which he demonstrated through several accurate passes across the ice. There was a situation on the offensive zone blue line where one of his passes was inaccurate, but he compensated with a quick backcheck and successfully stopped the opponent. He shows good positioning against opposing players. Otto is offensively-minded, as seen through his effective board play and quick transitions to offense, as well as his committed joining of the rush, often through the middle, which later led to one of his assists. Defensively, he showed strong awareness in the middle of the ice, effectively covering space and pushing opponents to the boards. On the offensive zone blue line, he displayed skill when, after a faceoff on the right circle as a left-handed player, he quickly controlled the puck from backhand to forehand, moved efficiently off the boards, and shot.
Ossi Tukio (D, L, 6’2″, 187, Ilves U20, 11/03/2007)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Ossi is a left-handed defenseman of taller stature who played in the first pairing and was also used on the power play. He is an agile offensive defenseman and puck mover, showing active movement and effective use of his stick. He used his skating and agility especially well during zone entries, both at even strength and on the power play. He was dominant on the offensive blue line in several moments – we could see his effective board play, using quick feet to get into the slot area and shoot, and with his soft hands he supported his team’s offense through accurate passes below the blue line, including a precise saucer pass.
Rasmus Rinne (LW, L, 5’11”, 192, Ilves U20, 01/10/2008)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Rasmus is a left-handed, left winger of smaller-to-medium stature who played on the second line and was also used on the power play. He made effective use of his stick and showed good effort both on the backcheck and forecheck. His speed was noticeable, for example in situations where he skated past defenders in the neutral zone and tried to get himself into shooting positions in the middle. He also demonstrated his quickness and attacking mindset in the offensive zone – actively participating in the cycle, moving the puck down the boards to a teammate, and then driving into the slot area, where he looked to create scoring chances and showed a good quick release. Rasmus provided smart support, helping his team either to regain possession or to maintain control of the puck.
Matias Myllyniemi (RW, L, 5’10”, 172, Ilves U20, 03/10/2008)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Matias is a left-handed right winger of smaller stature who played on the second line and was used both on the power play and penalty kill. He was most noticeable in the second period. He showed his quick feet, which, combined with his puck-handling skills, caused problems for the opposing defense – something he demonstrated through his soft puck reception and dangerous scoring attempts. He also recorded a beautiful assist after a smart play, when he managed to skillfully control a bouncing puck out of the air near the blue line and quickly found his teammate with a precise pass that led to a goal. Matias also showed active participation on faceoffs, using his speed to battle for getting the pucks inside the circle. He displayed good support along the boards and an also active forecheck.
Jesse Hietanen (D, L, 6’3″, 198, Ilves U20, 07/20/2005)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Jesse is a tall, left-handed defenseman who played in the second defensive pair and was also used on the penalty kill. He delivered a consistent performance throughout the game and, even though he ended with a minus rating, he was one of the key players behind his team’s win, as described below. He is a good skater with a strong change of direction, which in combination with his head on a swivel and quick hands gives him a big advantage when moving with the puck and helps bring calmness to his team’s play. There were moments when he didn’t hesitate to turn the play back in the neutral zone or defensive zone to wait for his teammates to get into better open positions, so he could move the puck quickly either along the boards or to the middle to support the attack. We also saw situations where, under pressure from two opponents, he smartly drew them in and then used a clever reverse pass to cooperate with his teammate and allow him to make a quick zone exit. His good game awareness stood out, mainly because he constantly faced the play and provided solid support on the boards. On the boards, he showed his skill through quick changes of direction and the ability to skate from tight to open space and move the puck quickly with hard and accurate passes. It’s also worth mentioning his reaction after losing the puck – he immediately started backchecking and worked hard to win it back as fast as possible.
Timi Teuho-Markkola (LW, L, 5’11”, 167, Ilves, 09/15/2005)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Timi is a left-handed, left winger of medium stature who played on his team’s first line and was also used on both the power play and penalty kill. He effectively utilized his strengths in skating, speed, agility, and quick change of direction – for example, when he outplayed an opponent along the boards, gained speed, dumped the puck into the zone, chased it down himself, and secured puck possession time for his team in the offensive zone. Overall, he showed strong board play and good puck protection, which, along with his ability to play with his head up, allowed him to use the full width of the ice to find open space. When he saw a better-positioned teammate, he chose a quick pass toward the middle to support the offensive transition. Timi demonstrated his soft hands during his assist on his team’s second goal, when he skillfully controlled a fast pass on the left side near the offensive blue line, stayed composed under pressure, and sent a precise pass over the defender to a teammate in the middle, who finished comfortably.
Jakub Frolo (C, R, 6’1″, 194, Ilves U20, 12/05/2007)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Jakub is a right-handed center of medium height who played on his team’s top line and was also used on both the penalty kill and power play, operating from the left circle during the man advantage. He showed good physical play, which he demonstrated already in the first period when he didn’t hesitate to protect his goalie. Jakub displayed great game awareness from both defensive and offensive perspectives, and here’s why. His smart play combined with quick decision-making allowed him to effectively move the puck from the boards to the middle of the ice to create quick transitions. He also made a no-look pass and quickly moved the puck towards the wingers to exit the zone and join the rush. He provided exceptionally close and smart support on both sides of the ice – in the defensive zone, he stayed close to puck battles to recover the puck quickly, and in the offensive zone, he read the play well. We could see this at least twice when, after his team lost puck possession, he effectively covered the middle of the ice to cut off a passing lane, successfully regained the puck, and immediately turned the play around to keep his team in the zone. Offensively, Jakub brings confidence to his team – with his soft hands and quick changes of direction, he’s able to create puck possession time and enter the zone, often through the right side, showing the ability to use the full width of the ice during rushes. He distributes the puck with quick and accurate passes, but related to this I also see an area where he could improve – in some situations, he could take the shot himself instead of always looking for a better-positioned teammate. He also showed determination to battle in the net front area to create space there. At times, he seemed to momentarily lose focus due to the opponent’s aggressive play or after losing the puck, but overall, it was a good and consistent performance throughout the game.
Max Poikela (C, L, 6’1″, 196, Ilves U20, 01/01/2009)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Max is a left-handed center of medium stature who played on the second line and was also used on the power play. He plays a physical brand of hockey and showed an aggressive forecheck along with providing close support, which directly led to his assist in the game. He effectively used the middle of the ice on both ends of the rink – we could see his quick transition plays in the defensive zone to find teammates in better positions through the middle, as well as his efforts to move the puck into the slot with quick, accurate passes. Max also showed confidence in zone entries, using smart and quick give-and-go combinations to enter the zone and gain puck possession time for his team. He involved his defensemen well, moving the puck quickly from the low part of the zone up to the blue line to engage them in the play and help create offensive pressure toward the net.
Niklas Savolainen (D, L, 6’1″, 187, Ilves U20, 02/18/2006)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Niklas is a left-handed defenseman of medium height who played on the team’s third defensive pair and was also used on the penalty kill. He showed good physical play and an aggressive approach, both at even strength and while shorthanded. He defended the defensive blue line well – for example, during rush situations, he successfully pushed opponents toward the boards, preventing them from skating to the middle. He also recorded one important shot block during the penalty kill. Niklas demonstrated good situational awareness, stepping up effectively while use his stick against opponents in the neutral zone to stop their plays, and doing the same around the blue line. Overall, he showed quick transitions in the neutral zone to create offensive opportunities. In the defensive zone, he stretched the play well to create options for his teammates to move the puck by tape to tape passes, and he remained calm on the stick even under pressure. He capped off his reliable performance by scoring an empty-net goal.
Eemil Laurell (RW, R, 6’0″, 167, Ilves U20, 12/17/2004)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Eemil is a right-handed right winger of medium height who played on his team’s top line as well as on the power play. He delivered a consistent performance throughout the game, with an excellent showing especially in the second period. He is a strong skater with good technique and impressive speed, both with and without the puck, which was visible during his rushes from the wing where he overskated defenders and quickly got into the net-front area. His great acceleration allows him to be effective in both forechecking and quick starts toward loose pucks. His agility and quick changes of direction give him an advantage not only on open ice but also when covering the puck along the boards. Eemil stood out mainly in the offensive part of the game thanks to his ability to skate fast and effectively with the puck. Combined with his soft hands and puck protection, he caused a lot of problems for opponents – especially during power plays, where he managed to keep puck possession for his team and create danger through passes into the slot area, including an effective fake pass as well. He showed good game awareness and was ready to take a quick shot whenever he saw an opportunity. His offensive mindset was also clear when he made a quick pass in the neutral zone and then skated immediately to the slot to attack the net, which later paid off – he scored after a fast transition, receiving a great pass from a teammate and finishing with a precise shot into the top-right corner when faced the goalie. He showed good productivity in this game, recording four shots on goal.
Max Pieninkeroinen (C, L, 6’2″, 194, Kiekko-Espoo U20, 10/09/2006)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Max is a left-handed center of taller stature who played on his team’s fourth line and was also used on the penalty kill. Not only did he score his team’s lone goal, but he also delivered a consistent performance throughout a game in which his team was mostly on the back foot. He effectively used his size along the boards to protect the puck, create space for himself, and outmuscle opponents, while also providing smart support to his teammates in puck battles to help regain possession in both – on the boards and in the open ice. Max was strong in the net-front area, where he consistently battled for position – eventually rewarded with a goal in the second period after a precise redirection. In the third period, he showed determination to influence the score, moving the puck quickly through sharp passes toward dangerous areas, especially into the middle and the slot.
Logo courtesy of Kiekko-Espoo