The regular championship of the Finnish elite hockey championship of the current season began in mid-September 2022 and will end in March 2023. During this time, 15 participants of the regular season will play 60 matches. After that, the first six teams are selected for the quarter-finals, and the clubs ranked from seventh to 10th will play in the 1/8 finals.
Bookmakers have identified four main contenders for the championship, namely: Kärpät, Tappara, Ilves and Lukko. The likelihood that other teams will be able to impose a fight for medals on this four is extremely small. But while the season in Liiga is in full swing and the teams have all the struggle ahead. The battle for the title is expected to be hot and if you want to make money, then you can bet on this event on the site https://1xbet-uz.mobi/.
Karpyat
“Black-yellow-white” are considered by bookmakers as the main contender for the championship title. At the same time, after a third of the regular championship, the representatives of Oulu were in sixth place in the standings and lagged behind the first Lukko by 10 points. In 20 games played, the Ermine have won 12 victories and suffered eight defeats. Lauri Maryamäki, who has been coaching Helsinki’s Jokerit for the past four years, brought a large number of Jester players to Kärpät. So the team, which performed well in the strong KHL, can go far enough in the Finnish championship.
The inhabitants of “Oulun Energia Areena” have a competitive composition, but do not differ in stability. The Ermines should qualify for the playoffs, but it will not be easy for the team from Oulu to win medals.
Tappara
The most titled hockey club in Finland, which is the reigning champion of the country, will try to get the second “gold” in a row. In the regular season, the team from Tampere went quite well and after 20 games played, was in the top four. The Blue-Orange-Whites, after a series of setbacks, went on a good winning streak in early November, defeating SaiPu, Sport Vaas and Lukko. We also note that Jussi Tappola’s wards have one of the strongest defenses in the league.
Tappara has a well-played champion line-up, which is able to send the next gold medals to the piggy bank. The season will not be easy for the Axes, but the Blue-Orange-Whites are deservedly considered one of the main contenders for the title.
Ilves
The Lynxes won the Liiga only once in history, and that was back in 1985. The club from Tappara is doing quite well this season. By the 20th round, Ilves was in third place, ahead of more titled opponents from his hometown in additional indicators. The lion’s share of victories by the beginning of November, namely 11, “green-yellow-black” got in regular time and only one win was in overtime.
Antti Pennanen’s team plays great in attack, but defends not in the best way. The club, founded in 1931, does not have star performers and is famous, first of all, for its team playing. Ilves is very likely to make it to the quarterfinals. But in knockout battles, it will be difficult for the “lynxes” to move far.
Lucco
Last season, a team from the city of Rauma won the domestic championship for the first time since 1963. In the 2021/2022 draw, Lucco reached the semi-finals, where they lost to TPS Turku – 2:3. By the beginning of the November segment of the current competition, the “blue-yellows” led the standings, ahead of the second Pelicans by two points. The representatives of the club from the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia should not have problems with access to the playoffs.
“Padlock” demonstrates the excellent quality of the game, but it will be difficult to impose a fight on Kärpyat and Tappare, Lukko.
Our forecast
Tappara players are more playful and experienced in knockout battles. So in the current championship it is quite possible to expect another title win by this team. Karpyat, Ilves and Lukko will try to impose a fight on the “axes”, but reaching the final for each of these teams can be considered a good result.