Club Friendly· Season 2026
TUTO Hockey came from behind to beat KeuPa HT 3-1 in a pre-season friendly. Frans Kulmala scored the game-winner and added an assist in Turku.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
KeuPa HT struck first against the run of play. Niklas Rantanen opened the scoring at 7:54 of the first period, converting from Eetu Heikkilä's feed to give the visitors a 0-1 lead they carried into the first intermission. TUTO outshot KeuPa 7-8 in the period but could not beat goaltender Jami Pasanen.
TUTO found their equaliser early in the second period. At 21:25, Tuomas Turppa fired home a power-play goal with assists from Peetu Kiukas and Samu Markkula, levelling the score at 1-1. TUTO's man advantage was a constant factor — KeuPa took six minor penalties (12 PIM) to TUTO's one (2 PIM), giving the home side 11:52 of power-play time across the game.
The decisive moment came at 46:19 of the third period. Frans Kulmala scored what proved to be the game-winner, his second goal of the pre-season, with Roope Turunen picking up the assist to make it 2-1.
KeuPa pulled goaltender Jami Pasanen for an extra attacker at 58:57 and called a timeout at 59:24, but the gamble backfired. Joona Korhonen fired into the empty net at 59:42 with Kulmala adding the secondary assist, sealing the 3-1 final score.
The Turning Point
Kulmala's goal at 46:19 — less than two minutes after KeuPa had killed off a TUTO power play — broke the deadlock and forced KeuPa into chase mode. From that point, TUTO controlled the tempo and never allowed KeuPa a clean look at goalie Eemeli Räikkä, who finished with 16 saves for the win.
Key Performers
- Frans Kulmala (TUTO) — 1 goal (GWG) + 1 assist, the central figure in both third-period goals. His two-point night led all skaters.
- Tuomas Turppa (TUTO) — Scored the equaliser on the power play in the second period, swinging momentum back to the home side.
- Jami Pasanen (KeuPa) — Made 20 saves on 22 shots through 58:57. Kept KeuPa in the game during a heavily penalised second period but was left exposed on the empty-net goal.
- Eemeli Räikkä (TUTO) — Stopped all 16 shots faced for a clean save percentage, including 8 in the first period when the game was still scoreless at his end.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
Discipline was the headline stat. KeuPa conceded six penalties (12 PIM) to TUTO's one (2 PIM), handing the home side 11:52 of power-play time. TUTO converted once (1/6, 16.7%), while KeuPa failed to score on their sole power-play chance of just 2:00. Despite the penalty disparity, shots were close: Pasanen recorded 20 saves, Räikkä 16, reflecting a game played mostly in the neutral zone during even-strength stretches rather than sustained offensive pressure from either side.
What It Means
Both sides are building toward the 2026-27 Mestis regular season. For TUTO, this result extends their pre-season momentum after opening their friendly schedule on 6 August. KeuPa, who had beaten IPK 5-2 on 21 August, suffered their first pre-season defeat of the week. TUTO's next friendly is scheduled against Ketterä on 26 August; KeuPa's next outing is also on 27 August.
Verdict
A disciplined TUTO performance turned a deficit into a comfortable win through power-play efficiency and timely finishing. Kulmala's two-point showing suggests he is in form ahead of the regular season, while KeuPa will need to clean up their penalty count if they are to compete in Mestis proper.
Player of the match: Frans Kulmala (TUTO Hockey)
Match Events
TUTO and KeuPa have met 50 times — TUTO won 25, KeuPa won 25, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2017. A combined 310 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 6.20 per match (160 for the home side, 150 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 47 matches (94%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 49 games (98%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 8–5 in 2022.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 27 Aug 2026