Karri Kivi on MTV:llä: here is Tappara's main challenger for the spring: "Ideal mood"

The league’s regular season is nearing its end. Teams have 5-7 regular season games left before the playoffs.

One of the league’s hottest teams right now is KooKoo, which is having a strong season. Based on the last ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five games, it is the best team in the league. In the standings, the team from Kouvola is second with 105 points. Tappara is one point ahead, having played one game less.

MTV Sports expert Karri Kivi praises KooKoo. He sees a lot of potential in the team for the spring games.

– I have to say, this is definitely Tappara’s toughest challenger, Kivi states.

– First of all, they have only played against Tappara twice this year and won both quite clearly, away 5–2 and at home 6–3. In those games, they skated over Tappara. And when you think about the condition the team is in right now, they are in peak form timing-wise at the moment, Kivi continues.

KooKoo’s place in the top four of the regular season is getting close. However, the team still has significant stakes in the remaining six games.

– Winning the regular season also matters for home advantage, as playing at the Nokia Arena is such a clear benefit for the Tampere team, Kivi says.

KooKoo is now in its second season under Jouko Myrrä. Last season was already good for the regular season, with the team finishing sixth. However, KooKoo’s journey ended in the first round of the playoffs against Sport.

– The team is so liberated right now, and then the player doesn’t fear anything that happens. Losing situations or others don’t shake them. It’s the ideal mood for spring, Kivi says.

KooKoo’s goaltending department is also strong. Eetu Randelin’s winning percentage of 69.35 is the best in the entire league, and Juha Jatkola has improved his performance as the season has progressed.

– If goaltending coach Jarkko Rissanen has gotten those two guys into this shape at this stage, then it’s the most ideal situation for the head coach. It’s not just coincidence, and Rissanen deserves recognition for that, Kivi praises.