Finland – Helsinki Roosters roll to 6th straight win behind Karri Pajarinen’s 5 TDs

Helsinki Roosters running back Karri Pajarinen was a man on a mission Thursday night as he scored all five of his team’s touchdowns as they rolled to their sixth straight win in Finland’s Maple League beating the Provoo Butchers 37-17.

The Thursday Night Football game was closer than the last time these two teams met when Helsinki came away with a 49-13 victory.

Pajarinen rushed for two touchdowns in the first half and two in the third quarter to help Helsinki move out to a 29-3 lead before the Butchers could find the end zone. He added the fifth and final touchdown for the Roosters with just over two minutes left in the game on a 13 yard pass from quarterback Brandon Connette.

Connette had a quiet day completing 13 of 25 passes for 200 yard and a touchdown. Kimi Linnainmaa, hauled in five passes for 110 yards to lead all receivers. Pajarinen carried the ball 12 times for 107 yards, but anytime he was within 20 yards of the end zone he scored.

For Porvoo, running back Darion Hall rushed for 168 yards and now leads the Maple League with 831 yards rushing. Quarterback Jan Lehtinen threw for only 122 yards but one touchdown to Ville Kurvinen . He also scored himself while  Joni-Petteri Malka kicked a field goal and two PATs.

With Helsinki leading 29-3 midway through the fourth quarter on Pajarinen’s four touchdown outburst, Porvoo finally scored a touchdown with Lehtinen capping a 40 yard drive with a two yard touchdown. Then the Butchers struck right away after recovering the onside kick as Lehtinen tossed a 53 yard touchdown pass to Kurvinen to close the cap to 29-17 with just under five minutes left.

Connette then mounted a seven play, 45 yard drive finishing it with a touchdown pass to Pajarinen to put the game away. Connette added the two-point conversion for insurance and Helsinki improved to 6-0.

Next up for Helsinki is the Tampere Saints on July 12 while the Butchers play the Seinäjoki Crocodiles on July 21.