With just 12 regulation wins in 60 games, Jukurit Mikkeli finished last in the 16-team Finnish Liiga. The team is now in the midst of a best-of-seven playout series with the 15th-place Lahti Pelicans, with the loser facing a relegation series against the winner of the second-tier Mestis.

After the teams split the first two games, Jukurit won Game 3 on Tuesday by a score of 8-3, thanks to a six-point effort from Canadian center Peter Abbandonato, who was celebrating his 27th birthday.

“It was not at all the type of game we expected,” Abbandonato told reporters after the game, according to Jatkoaika.com. “We started strong and our power play was the difference in this game. We are just happy that we won.”

Unbelievably, all eight of Jukurit’s goals were scored with the man advantage, and three at 5-on-3. Officially, Jukurit was 8-for-14 on the power play, while the Pelicans were 1-for-6. The Pelicans were assessed 51 penalty minutes, which included a major and a game misconduct to former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk early in the second period for a check to the head. Jukurit scored four times while Kanynuk’s penalty was in force, two were by Abbondonato.

Abbandonato had three goals and three assists in the game, while linemate Topias Hynninen had three goals and two assists.

The former NHL prospect said that he couldn’t remember a disparity in penalties before, “but that’s part of the game. As long as everyone survived without any major injuries, that’s the most important thing.”

Jukurit now leads the best-of-seven series 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for Friday in Mikkeli.

This is Abbandonato’s first season in Europe and it got off to a flying start when he recorded four points in Jukurit’s 7-3 victory in the season-opener. But while the team couldn’t sustain its success, Abbandonato’s 42 points led Jukurit in the regular season.

Max Ellis records hat trick, 4 points for Abbandonato, in Liiga debuts Liiga’s regular season began on Tuesday and two North American players had particularly memorable debuts for Mikkelin Jukurit, who defeated visiting HPK from Hämeenlinna 7-3. 

Abbandonato signed a one-year contract with Jukurit last summer, so he doesn’t know if he’ll be back in Mikkeli or even in Finland next season, but he’s sure to generate some interest this summer.

“I think it’s about motivating yourself,” he said about getting motivated to play meaningless late-season games on a last-place team. “Every player wants to play well, you want to have a good season because you want to play hockey somewhere next season. So the better you play, the more options you have.

“At the same time, when you get to the important games, individual statistics stop mattering. Right now we're just chasing wins and working as a team – that’s the only thing that matters.”

Born in Laval, Que., Abbandonato played junior hockey for the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and took part in two Memorial Cups. In 2018-19, he recorded 111 points in 68 regular-season games, followed by 32 points in 21 post-season games as the Huskies won the Memorial Cup.

Undrafted, Abbandonato has spent the past five seasons in the minor-league systems of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins. Between 2019 and 2024, he recorded 123 points in 214 AHL games and 51 points in 49 ECHL games.

Peter Abbandonato signs in Finland Canadian center Peter Abbandonato has signed a one-year contract with Jukurit Mikkeli, <a href="https://jukurit.fi/fi-fi/article/etusivu/jukurit-vahvistuu-ahl-hyokkaaja-peter-abbandonatolla-han-on-ju/5009/">the Liiga club announced on Tuesday</a>.