Liiga Playoffs: KooKoo’s Fresh Legs Sink SaiPa in Semi Opener

KooKoo rally from 2-0 down to beat SaiPa 

Down 2-0? No problem. KooKoo score four unanswered, led by Siikonen’s 2G, 2A, to take game one from SaiPa 4-2. Series 1-0.

Ex-SaiPa Man Siikonen haunts old club as KooKoo win semi-final game 1. KooKoo erase two-goal deficit to down SaiPa, lead semi-final series...

Former SaiPa player Miska Siikonen proved decisive for KooKoo as they erased a two-goal deficit to defeat SaiPa 4-2 and take game one of their best-of-seven Liiga playoff semi-final.

KooKoo had been idle for ten days since closing out their series against Pelicans, while SaiPa needed two extra games to eliminate Assat, wrapping up a 4-3 series win four days ago.

The question heading into game one was whether KooKoo’s rest or SaiPa’s match sharpness would prove decisive, and 15 minutes in it looked like the visitors had the edge after they built a 2-0 lead.

Antti Kalapudas set up Otto Kivenmaki for the opener at the 12-minute mark, then Eero Klintrup drew the defence as he circled behind the net before feeding Juuso Heikkila, who squeezed his shot past Eetu Randelin.

After taking a period to find their rhythm, KooKoo responded eight minutes into the second when Miska Siikonen - who reached the finals with SaiPa last season - held the puck patiently on the left wing before sliding it back for an open Veeti Miettinen in the slot, who swept it in.

🚨 KooKoo taistelee pelin itselleen kolmannessa erässä! 💪🔥

📺 @MTVUrheilu | #Liiga pic.twitter.com/nFdRHJim7M

— Liiga (@smliiga) April 17, 2026

The fresh legs from Kouvola made the difference in the third. KooKoo levelled seven minutes in through the same pairing, as Siikonen wrapped around the net and fed Miettinen for a close-range finish.

With just over 10 minutes left, the home side completed the comeback when Miettinen was stripped behind the net, but Siikonen picked up the loose puck and finished his own wraparound this time, beating Kari Piiroinen with a neat shot.

Inside the final five minutes, the second seeds sealed the 4-2 win when Kim Nousiainen set up Siikonen to complete his brace and finish with four points on the night, giving KooKoo a 1-0 series lead ahead of game two in Lappeenranta in less than 24 hours.