Jukka Jalonen's direct words about the Lions encounter: "Perverse"

MILANO.

There wasn’t much to tell about the Olympic ice hockey match between Finland and Italy.

The Lions scored an astonishing 11-0.

After the match, Italy’s current and the Lions’ former head coach Jukka Jalonen spoke very openly about the game.

– What could they be from such a game? We were out of gas. Third game in four days. Against such good teams, we just didn’t have the physicality anymore. It was indeed a bit sluggish in terms of skating. It’s a challenge against top teams anyway, Jalonen said.

Did you realize it right away when the game started?

– Yes, you could notice it during a few shifts, that oh dear, it felt like some player was in the last moments of the third period, even though we were just playing the first or second shift. The legs just weren’t moving. And if the legs don’t move in this sport, nothing comes of it.

– I assumed that we would manage today too, but we just couldn’t. There’s also a mental collapse when a couple of goals go in quickly.

– Finland – even though it was just Italy against us – played tough hockey, sent the puck to the end and applied pressure. There was no messing around or fancy plays. It was straightforward going towards the goal, and of course, there’s a hell of a lot of individual skill. It’s great to watch such top-level hockey.

Jalonen also described in quite colorful terms what it was like to face Finland.

– It is a special feeling to play against your home country, almost all the players have been coached by almost all the staff, it’s familiar faces.

– It’s not a very nice feeling, more of a perverse one. Of course, we went in to win and did everything for that, but you wouldn’t want to do it very often.

Jalonen was also asked when he last lost by double digits. The answer came quickly.

– I remember. Never. Not even close.

Jaakko Perttilä
X: @JaakkoPerttila