After a one-goal win in Rauma last week, a 2–2 tie on home ice with Lukko was enough to book Karpat Oulu's place in the 2015–16 Champions Hockey League Final!
Karpat Oulu 2–2 Lukko Rauma 
KARPAT WIN ON AGGREGATE 5–4
by Luke Fisher, with contribution from Miikka Jarvenpaa
OULU – Having come back from two goals down last week in Rauma, Karpat never trailed in the return game on home ice and saw our a tense last few minutes to make the Final. Additionally, a tie was also enough to ensure they have the right to host the CHL's title game on 9 February.
Afterward, Karpat coach Lauri Marjamaki said that it was “As tough as it usually is against Lukko. We’ve played against them a lot and they’ve always been close games. Today it was a tie.”
He continued, “I’m happy that we can play tough games such as this in the middle of the January. We played a solid game the whole 60 minutes. We prepared ourselves well. Yes we conceded 2 goals shorthanded, but especially in the end we were great.”
A fast-flowing but ultimately scoreless opening period saw both teams with a couple of chances to take an early advantage in the game. The opening phase lasted 6:06 before a whistle, and saw Karpat's CRAMO Top Scorer Julius Junttila ring a shot back off the iron with less then three minutes played. Both sides wasted early power-play chances, before neat stick work from Lukko's Turo Asplund saw his final shot denied by goalie Sami Aittokallio, and then the rebound deflected wide off a defenceman.
The game came to life in the middle session, as the deadlock was finally broken. A slap shot from Mika Pyorala found the back of the net at 26:18 while the home side enjoyed a power play to put them one ahead on the night, and two goals in front on aggregate. Lukko however came straight back, and on a power play of their own hit the equaliser – Toni Koivisto the scorer with a lovely wrist shot from the lot, just under five minutes after his side went behind, to bring the aggregate deficit back to just one.
That's how things stay into the period break, meaning the tie would come down to the final period. Karpat got off to the perfect start in the third with a blue line rocket from Markus Nutivaara going through traffic and into the net with just 1:29 played.
“Pulju (Jesse Puljujarvi) played well. He deked the whole Lukko five apart,” Nutivaara said about the set-up to his one-timer. “I just had to wait and be ready to shoot. He passed the puck and I got the shot away. I saw room in the back corner. I think the puck had contact with Pyorala or a Lukko defenceman. It hit something anyway. Luckily it went in.”
That goal put Karpat up by a relatively comfortable two-goal cushion on aggregate, but with Janne Lahti scoring from a goal-mouth scramble at 53:23 the score was brought back to 2–2 on the night, and Lukko just one behind overall.
For the remaining six and a half minutes Lukko tried to find the tying goal, pulling netminder Ryan Zapolski for the last 1:16, but to no avail. Karpat Oulu held on book their place in the CHL Final – and also earn the right to host it!
On hosting the Final, Marjamaki said, “It has a huge significance. We play well here every time. I’m sure that people will attend the game and we need that. It’s a rare occasion to play for the European Championship in February here in Oulu. It’s great.”
Lukko coach Risto Dufva added, “Congratulations to Karpat and Lauri Marjamaki. Glad that we have a Finnish team in the Final.”
Goals:
2nd 26:18 - 1:0 (PP1) - Mika Pyorala (Sebastian Aho, Markus Nutivaara)
2nd 31:02 - 1:1 (PP1) - Toni Koivisto (Turo Asplund, Janne Lahti)- 3rd 41:29 - 2:1 (EQ) - Markus Nutivaara (Jesse Puljujarvi, Arto Laatikainen)
- 3rd 54:23 - 2:2 (PP1) - Janne Lahti
2395 | Highlights: Karpat Oulu vs Lukko Rauma