Story Summary
Niko Huuhtanen delivered a blunt assessment of HIFK after their first local derby of the season ended in a 3-2 overtime defeat to Jokerit.
The HIFK forward said his side had played " really poor hockey" for 40 minutes, despite still having opportunities to win a game in which they were clear underdogs. Huuhtanen had one of the defining chances in overtime when he broke through alone, but Jokerit goaltender Tomi Karhunen stopped his shot with the pads.
Huuhtanen also felt the long-awaited derby did not fully match the occasion. He noted that several thousand seats remained unsold and said he expected a better atmosphere when the teams meet at Nordis.
Key Facts
- HIFK lost their first local derby of the season against Jokerit 3-2 in overtime.
- Niko Huuhtanen had a breakaway chance in overtime, but Tomi Karhunen made a pad save.
- Huuhtanen said HIFK played " really poor hockey" for 40 minutes and criticised the team’s opening play.
- Huuhtanen said HIFK had begun to find its game in Vaasa, but did not carry that level into the derby.
- The forward described the arena atmosphere as only " OK" and pointed to several thousand unsold seats.
- Huuhtanen said HIFK’s supporters were absent and acknowledged that viewers watching on television were unlikely to have been satisfied with the performance.
- The derby had been awaited for 12 years, according to Huuhtanen.
- Eetu Liukas said a Jokerit equipment manager had shouted towards Huuhtanen from the bench area; Huuhtanen said he had not heard anything and regarded such shouting as normal in hockey.
IHM Discussion
Huuhtanen’s comments centred less on the overtime result than on HIFK’s standard over the opening 40 minutes. His frustration was sharpened by the setting: this was a derby described as having been awaited for 12 years, and HIFK were unable to produce the performance he believed the occasion demanded.
There was still a narrow route to victory. Huuhtanen’s overtime breakaway gave HIFK an immediate chance to turn an underdog display into a win, but Karhunen’s save left Jokerit with the decisive edge. Huuhtanen did not use that missed opportunity to soften his assessment of the wider performance.
Why It Matters
Local derbies carry significance beyond two points, particularly after such a lengthy wait for the fixture’s return. Huuhtanen’s public disappointment underlines that HIFK’s players judged the display against the scale of the event, not simply the closeness of an overtime defeat.
His remarks also placed attention on the next meeting at Nordis, where he expects a stronger atmosphere. That expectation concerns the event around the game as well as the on-ice response HIFK will want after a performance their forward called unacceptable.
Mini Q&A
What was the result of the HIFK-Jokerit derby?
Jokerit beat HIFK 3-2 in overtime in the teams’ first local derby of the season.
What happened to Niko Huuhtanen’s overtime chance?
Huuhtanen broke through alone, but Jokerit goaltender Tomi Karhunen stopped his shot with the pads.
Why was Huuhtanen unhappy with HIFK?
He said HIFK played very poorly for 40 minutes, criticised the team’s opening play and felt the showing was unacceptable for an event awaited for 12 years.
IHM Final View
HIFK left the derby with an overtime point but without the performance Huuhtanen wanted on a major night for the rivalry. His verdict was unambiguous: a lone overtime chance was not enough to excuse a display he felt fell short for much of the game.