Story Summary
Tappara face Friday’s Tampere derby against Ilves without a substantial group of regulars, including their entire first line and starting goaltender Christian Heljanko. Benjamin Rautiainen, Aapeli Räsänen and Joachim Blichfeld are all unavailable, while Juha Metsola will start in goal.
Tommi Kivistö, acquired on Thursday, will make his Tappara debut against his former club. The experienced defenceman is set to play alongside Jyrki Jokipakka. Ilves also have absences, with centre Lukas Jasek and defenceman Leo Lööf out of the line-up.
Key Facts
- Benjamin Rautiainen, Aapeli Räsänen and Joachim Blichfeld will not play for Tappara against Ilves on Friday.
- Joachim Blichfeld has missed six consecutive Liiga games and is Tappara’s only player producing at a point-per-game rate.
- Christian Heljanko is absent from Tappara’s line-up, with Juha Metsola set to start in goal.
- Alex Mäkelä, on loan from Nokian Pyry, will serve as Tappara’s backup goaltender.
- Tappara defencemen Olle Strandell and Kasper Kulonummi are also unavailable.
- Tommi Kivistö will make his Tappara debut against his former club alongside Jyrki Jokipakka.
- Ilves will be without first-line centre Lukas Jasek and defenceman Leo Lööf.
- Ilves enter the season’s first local derby fifth in the Liiga table, while Tappara are ninth.
IHM Discussion
The scale of Tappara’s absences is most clearly shown by the loss of Rautiainen, Räsänen and Blichfeld together. Blichfeld’s continued absence is particularly notable given his point-per-game production, while Heljanko’s omission places Metsola in net with Mäkelä brought in as cover.
Kivistö’s immediate debut supplies one new option on defence, but it arrives against familiar opposition and alongside a broader shortage on the blue line. Strandell and Kulonummi are both unavailable, leaving Tappara to manage several changes across the line-up for a derby that is also the sides’ first meeting of the season.
Why It Matters
Friday’s match brings together two Tampere rivals separated by four places in the Liiga standings, but both teams will enter without key personnel. Tappara’s situation extends across their leading forward unit, goaltending and defence, whereas Ilves are missing Jasek at centre and Lööf on the back end.
For Tappara, the immediate significance is the combination of who is absent and who must step in. Metsola takes the starting role in goal, while Kivistö’s first appearance for the club comes straight away against Ilves. Those line-up changes are central to the derby’s pre-match picture.