Canadiens centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored his first two goals of the season in Finland, but his strong performance wasn’t enough as the Pori Assat Aces dropped a 5-3 decision to the Lahti Pelicans in SM-Liiga action Wednesday.
Kotkaniemi, who is on loan from the Canadiens to his hometown team, opened the scoring with a power-play goal and added a short-handed goal later in the game. But Assat’s failure to kill penalties was the key to the game as the Pelicans scored four power-play goals.
Kotkaniemi has started producing after failing to earn a point in his first four games. He has two goals and three assists in his past four games. He was on the ice for 19:43 Wednesday and won 61 per cent of his faceoffs.
Another Canadiens prospect, Jesse Ylonen , played for the Pelicans, but didn’t pick up a point. He has three goals and one assist in 15 games.
Assat, ninth in the standings, is clinging to a playoff spot with a 7-7-2 record and could be in trouble if and when the NHL resumes. The team’s top two centres are Kotkaniemi and Nick Merkley, who is on loan from the New Jersey Devils.
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