SSV Helsinki is the Champion 2008-2009 in Finland. SSV won against Tapanilan Erä in the third Final and ended the Final series with three straight victories. This was already the third Championship victory for SSV in the past three years.
The dramatic start to the match was too much for Erä and they were able to pass SSV goalie Henri Toivoniemi only twice. As many times earlier in this year´s playoffs, Toivoniemi took important saves when Erä was pressuring. SSV took their ninth victory of this season´s nine playoff matches with the result 4-2 and secured their Championship victory.
This year´s championship title was historical for SSV´s captain Mikael Järvi. This was his eighth gold medal in the Finnish League, which is more than any other player in the men´s league has achieved. In the women´s league, the legendary goalkeeper Kati Suomela, has also eight Finnish championships.
SSV is the first team in Finland that has been able to win the League for three years in a row.
SSV was the stronger team throughout the Final series and the challenger Tapanilan Erä couldn´t win any of the final matches. The winning figures for SSV were 5-2, 4-3 and 4-2.
The first two Finals were decided in the second period. SSV took a 4-0 lead in the second period in the first and in the second match. Erä tried to tie the matches in the third period, but the experienced reigning champion maintained the lead. The best chance for Erä to take a victory was in the second match, when only the goal post stopped them from evening the match in the last minute.
SSV got a dream start to the third match. They were really active in the beginning and as Erä was a bit nervous, SSV took advantage of the situation. First Santtu Manner scored after three minutes and right after, Jani Kukkola faked an Erä player and made it 2-0. When five minutes was played, it was Tero Tiitu, who shot 3-0 to SSV.
