The Finnish SM-liiga (Ice Hockey League) announced that they will provide Tampereen Tappara an additional deadline to submit a response concerning the contentious match against JYP that took place on February 18. This match was marked by significant incidents, including multiple fights and the ejections of both head coaches – Rikard Grönborg of Tappara and Petri Matikainen of JYP. The league stated that this would be the final extension granted in this matter, as they look to resolve the incident early next week.

Tensions boiled over during the game, resulting in three fights and heated exchanges, particularly during the post-match press conference where JYP's assistant coach Santeri Heiskanen expressed his frustration. He criticized the atmosphere leading up to the match and highlighted comments from Tappara's head coach concerning retaliation for a previous incident involving Tappara's player Kristian Tanus. In December, Tanus suffered a head injury due to a hit from JYP's Antti Tyrväinen, which added to the mounting hostility between the teams.

The league's disciplinary delegation is expected to announce its decision on the matter a week after the incident, which indicates serious consideration regarding the enforcement of rules in the league. Overall, this ongoing saga underscores the intense rivalries and challenges that hockey teams face, not just in terms of gameplay but also concerning safety and sportsmanship on the ice.