Liiga roundup: Ilves edge Lukko as Hameenlinna and Karpat record shutouts

[p]After their long winning run was put to the sword by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tappara/llrWVOwG/"]Tappara[/a] last time out, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lukko-rauman/hdqQJQgc/"]Lukko[/a] were looking to bounce back at the other Tampere club, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ilves-tampere/Oh5uGzDT/"]Ilves[/a]' inconsistent form cause for optimism. But their hopes were dashed in the first 24 minutes of the game.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johansson-simon/IZ62cQAC/"]Simon Johansson[/a] set up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/looke-jens/vPV6ILAs/"]Jens Looke[/a] for the home side's opening goal in the fourth minute, before the same pair combined for Samuli Rantinen to double the lead with a minute to go in the first period.[/b][/p][p]Four minutes into the second, Johansson was at it again, registering his third point of the match with an assist for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/quenneville-peter/QF0DaJci/"]Peter Quenneville[/a] to put Ilves 3-0 ahead.[/p][p][b]The Lynx's inconsistency seemed to be returning when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gelinas-eric/2FzTVCXC/"]Eric Gelinas[/a] pulled a goal back four minutes later, and then they were in for a nervy final 15 minutes when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stenqvist-jakob/xdaPz4Q1/"]Jakob Stenqvist[/a] made it a one-goal game,[/b] but Ilves held on to win [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/ilves-Oh5uGzDT/lukko-hdqQJQgc/?mid=lKiRuwPO"]3-2[/a] and climb to fifth with back-to-back victories.[/p][embed guid="c5e9772a-d533-42cd-9770-8c3980e5da47" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeG3M_nt8rQ" social-type="youtube" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pelicans-lahti/nJrUIp93/"]Pelicans[/a] were unable to drop out of the top 12 last night,[b] but there are now just four points between themselves and the chasing pack after they were humbled by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/karpat-oulu/fPJxL2x2/"]Karpat[/a], losing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/karpat-fPJxL2x2/pelicans-nJrUIp93/?mid=4WRz0tAt"]5-0[/a] at home.[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pietila-benjamin/QiTX08Dp/"]Benjamin Pietila[/a] scored twice and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rubin-niklas/Uuyi0tN0/"]Nikla Rubin[/a] made 29 saves as the Oulu side made it two wins in a row.[/p][embed guid="d47517c7-9043-4a00-969b-602a670a28a2" url="https://x.com/smliiga/status/2023839488662007990" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Karpat are 14th, and sandwiched between them and the Lahti side are [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hameenlinna/zV5a4drH/"]Hameenlinna[/a], who ended a three-match losing run by beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vaasan-sport/Qqy8aCTd/"]Vaasan Sport[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/hameenlinna-zV5a4drH/vaasan-sport-Qqy8aCTd/?mid=0bLqbKvg"]4-0[/a].[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hakulinen-anrei/zimY1Ci1/"]Anrei Hakulinen[/a] picked up two points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saarinen-kim/2amHkBnq/"]Kim Saarinen[/a] made just 15 saves to earn a shutout, as Sport lost for the 11th match in a row.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/finland/liiga/"]Follow the Liiga season on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]