Tero On Fire

What a difference ice-time makes. Ol' Tero has picked up where he left of last season on Espoo's first defensive pairing. If you look at Espoo's blueline, you actually cringe a bit, but it's worked well for Tero and Espoo has allowed four goals in four games.

Anyway, Tero has three assists in Espoo's first four games, including a power play assist and an assist four-on-four. So, Tero's playing in all situations it seems.

Maybe Tero will get his confidence rolling further. Just when I lower Tero's rating he puts up the numbers! :)

Maybe Yuri Moscevsky bashed some offense into him :)

Also in Finland, Pasi Saarinen missed HIFK's first two games, played in their third on their first pairing, and then teamed with Jarno Kultanen (former Bruin) on the first pair, Pasi had a power play assist late in the third period agains the Lahti Pelicans, sending the game into overtime. Well, a little over a minute into OT, Saarinen scored a power play game-winning goal!

Who needs Teemu Selanne with Tero and Pasi in the system? :)

Seriously, if both play the whole year on their team's first pairings, they'll do well. Saarinen's season before he was drafted was pretty good production-wise. Tero's 00-01 and 01-02 were decent, last year wasn't, production-wise, although down the stretch Tero played more than he did beginning the year.

Maybe Tero can find his way onto Finland's WC team as the 7th or 8th defenseman with a good season.

Do they have fire Fighters in Finland? Did he sustain any 2nd degree injurys that would cause him to miss play time?

Haha. That actually made me laugh.

According to my source who follows the Espoo Blues closely, Määttä has been very good, sound defensively and he has even the confidence to do stuff with the puck that he didn't do before. Like deking. :)

He has played in the first pairing with a veteran finn defenceman Sebastian Sulku whose name shouldn't ring any bells to you, but is a good all-round dman. Should he keep up the level he's been playing this fall, there is no reason to not keep him on the first pairing. My source is saying, that he mite end up playing in the national team, but that may be a hard task. Of course, if the Blues play well and he is their number one defenceman, he should get at least the consideration to play for Finland.

Less than 10 games left in regular season.

Blues in now 9th, if they keep that position they go for preliminary round.

Määttä one goal and 12 assists. He has broke his earlier season records (6 assists, 10 points) long time ago. Goal record is 4, in 2000-01 and 2001-02. In two years he hasn't scored against any goalkeeper. Last season he didn't score goals and in this season his only goal has been empty-netter.

Määttä is also in equal lead of plus/minus of the team. He has +6 as have Jan Caloun (played in Sharks at mid 90s) and Rod Sarich (Cory's (TB) brother who was sacked in November)

ES, what club is Ville Peltonen playing for?


Actually answered my own question, HC Lugano.

http://www.hclugano.ch/03_team/

Määttä has 39 PIM in this season. If you took one major and game misconduct which he got when he had a fight with Jere Karalahti (former LA&Nas) he has only 7 minor penalties.