Ilves U20 Snap Two-Game Skid with 5–2 Win over SaiPa

Ilves U20 beat SaiPa 5–2 at Hakametsä on Saturday, snapping a two-game losing run. That skid included a 5–2 loss to Pelicans in Lahti on Wednesday the midweek defeat by Pelicans. Matias Myllyniemi finished with two goals and an assist to lead the hosts. Goalkeeper Justus Vuorinen, who has been in strong form, made several important saves.

SaiPa opened the scoring in the first period through Anton Inna. The hosts hit back early in the second when Aleksi Koponen levelled the game just 24 seconds in. SaiPa briefly regained the lead while shorthanded, but Myllyniemi then produced two quick goals. After video review, the second was allowed as a legal deflection, giving the hosts a 3–2 lead.

In the third period Rasmus Rinne converted a rebound following a SaiPa too-many-men penalty to make it 4–2. Joona Törmäkangas sealed the final score with an empty-net goal in the last second, set up by Aku Svenn.

Ilves coach Niko Peltola described it as a tight, end-to-end game in which both teams had chances and said his side was marginally sharper in the decisive moments: "Maybe we were a bit more precise in the final moments, which decided the win." He added the squad has stayed focused on each match and expects to be ready for the local derby on Wednesday.

Match statistics are available at tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi. Ilves visits Tappara at Hakametsä on Wednesday, October 21, with puck drop at 18:30.