Three Powerplay Goals, Three Nikkanen Goals: SaiPa Beat Assat 4-2 in Decider

Nikkanen hat-trick fires SaiPa past Assat into Liiga semi-finals

Henri Nikkanen’s hat-trick, all on the powerplay, sent SaiPa to a 4-2 game-seven win over Assat to clinch their Liiga quarter-final series. Third-seeded SaiPa now face KooKoo in the semis, while Tappara meet Ilves in a Tampere derby. Semi-finals begin Thursday, April 16.

SaiPa overturn series deficit to dump Assat out, set up KooKoo semi-final...

Last year’s runners-up SaiPa have joined Tappara, KooKoo and Ilves in the Liiga playoff semi-finals after a Henri Nikkanen hat-trick helped them punish Assat’s ill-discipline. SaiPa sealed the quarter-final series with a 4-2 home win in a game-seven decider.

A 5-1 away win in game five made Assat favourites to take the series, but SaiPa answered in game six with a 3-1 road victory to swing the tie back their way and set up the decider in Lappeenranta.

SaiPa pelaa välierissä toista kautta putkeen!! 💪#Liiga pic.twitter.com/t3o1Zz686Q

— Liiga (@smliiga) April 13, 2026

And unlike Assat, they looked set to make full use of home advantage with three unanswered goals in the opening 20 minutes. The first arrived in the ninth minute when Patrik Siikanen’s shot was saved, but Jan Bednar in the visitors’ goal couldn’t stop Brian Kramer on the rebound.

A minute later, Pater Tiivola was penalised for high-sticking, and when Otto Kivenmaki’s pass from behind the net found Nikkanen, he powered the puck home to capitalise on the powerplay.

Assat clearly hadn’t learned their lesson five minutes later when Feetu Knihti was called for interference. The hosts dished out the same punishment, with Santari Airola this time finding Nikkanen to bury his second powerplay goal and make it 3-0.

The Aces kept conceding penalties either side of the first break but weren’t punished, and they got back into the game exactly 20 minutes after first conceding. Roope Talaja reacted fastest to poke home a rebound and extend his playoff scoring run.

🚨 Henri Nikkanen ja hattu täyteen seiskapeliin! 🎩

📺 @MTVUrheilu | #Liiga pic.twitter.com/BPFuvr9672

— Liiga (@smliiga) April 13, 2026

In the third period, Kramer was denied a second goal after a review, but SaiPa only had to wait three more minutes to restore the three-goal lead - again on the powerplay after hooking by Knihti.

Antti Kalapudas’ shot from the right went wide, and when the puck bounced off the boards it dropped perfectly for Nikkanen on the left to slam home his hat-trick goal.

Jan-Mikael Jarvinen’s goal a minute later cut it to 4-2 and kept the celebrations on hold, but only for another 11 minutes. SaiPa closed out the win to reach the semi-finals again.

With the top four seeds through to the semi-finals, third-seeded SaiPa will face KooKoo, and Tappara will meet Ilves in a Tampere derby in the best-of-seven series for a spot in the Liiga finals. The semi-finals start Thursday, April 16.