Story Summary
Ilves forward Jaakko Lantta was ejected from the Tampere derby against Tappara after a second-period hit from behind on Tappara forward Juuso Nykänen along the boards. Officials reviewed the play on video before issuing Lantta a 5+20-minute penalty, leaving Ilves short-handed for five minutes.
Lantta had earlier scored the opening goal of the match. The dismissal adds to a disciplinary record that has included several previous ejections in Liiga.
Key Facts
- Ilves forward Jaakko Lantta was ejected after hitting Tappara’s Juuso Nykänen from behind into the boards during the second period of the Tampere derby.
- Officials reviewed the hit on video and assessed Lantta a 5+20-minute penalty.
- Ilves had to kill a five-minute penalty following Lantta’s ejection.
- Lantta scored the opening goal before being thrown out of the match.
- In October 2023, Lantta was ejected for a knee hit on HIFK’s Petteri Lindbohm and, a week later, for a heavy hit into the boards on Sport’s Theodor Johnsson.
- Last December, Lantta received a match penalty for kicking KooKoo’s Jesper Ahlroth and the incident proceeded to Liiga disciplinary review.
IHM Discussion
The immediate hockey consequence was substantial: Ilves lost a player who had already made an impact on the scoresheet and then faced five minutes short-handed in a local derby. The video review and 5+20-minute penalty made the officials’ assessment clear within the game itself.
For Lantta, the incident also sits alongside a documented sequence of prior disciplinary cases. The earlier ejections involving Lindbohm and Johnsson, followed by the match penalty involving Ahlroth, mean this was not an isolated removal from a game. Each incident involved a different opponent and circumstance, but the latest penalty again places attention on Lantta’s on-ice judgement.
Why It Matters
A five-minute penalty can reshape any match, particularly when it also removes a forward from the bench for the remainder of the night. Ilves had to manage both the extended penalty kill and the loss of a player who had scored first.
The episode is also significant because of Lantta’s previous disciplinary history in Liiga. Repeated ejections keep the focus on whether he can maintain an effective physical presence without putting his side under prolonged pressure.