Leevi Lemberg’s Heroics Propel Jokerit to Victory in Homecoming Match

Leevi Lemberg emerged as a pivotal figure for the Jokerit hockey team during their return to the Helsinki Ice Hall, contributing three power-play points to secure a crucial victory.

Jokerit secured their first home win of the season in the Mestis league, defeating Imatran Ketterä with a score of 4–2. This match marked a significant occasion as it was Jokerit’s first game at the Helsinki Ice Hall in 26 years.

In their previous two matches of the season, Jokerit had faced challenges in the early moments. However, in front of a passionate crowd of 6,500 fans, Jokerit got off to a strong start when Leevi Lemberg found the net just 50 seconds into the game.

Following a prior match, Jokerit’s players held a lengthy meeting among themselves. Lemberg, who contributed with 2 goals and 1 assist against Ketterä, mentioned that the discussion primarily revolved around improving their starts in games.

“We discussed that our game beginnings haven’t been up to our expectations. Fortunately, we were able to change that in this match. I hope we can maintain this momentum and even improve,” Lemberg stated.

Teemu Henritius, making his return to the Jokerit team, provided the assist for the opening goal and expressed his positive attitude toward the game. He acknowledged a fortunate bounce of the puck that allowed him to create a scoring opportunity, setting the tone for the match and engaging the fans.

In a previous league season’s first home game for HIFK, the ice quality had been less than ideal. Lemberg noted that while the ice for the Jokerit vs. Ketterä match was not poor, there was still room for improvement.

Despite the abundance of HIFK’s branding in the arena, playing in HIFK’s home venue did not feel unusual for Lemberg, who remarked, “Today, this was our home arena.”

Henritius, who grew up playing for Jokerit, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that he had put thoughts of HIFK aside despite the rival club’s logos being visible in the dressing room corridors.

“I don’t think you need to dwell on such matters when you’re focused on the game. Of course, all Jokerit fans are eagerly awaiting the day we face HIFK here, hopefully in the league,” Henritius added. “When we need a win, it’s nice to walk past this booth.”