Tappara vs Karpat

Tappara had survived a two-man advantage of their own late in the second period without scoring, but the third period was a different story. Oliver Suvanto hammered home a loose puck from the goalmouth just seven seconds into a power play at 44:33 — Tomi Sallinen's point shot created the rebound and Suvanto forced it over the line. The goal was confirmed after a brief video review.

Before Kärpät could recover, William Wiå made it 4–1 at 44:50. Wiå's shot from the left circle deflected off a Kärpät defenceman, sailed high into the air and dropped behind a stranded Vedenpää. The two-goal burst in 17 seconds effectively ended the contest.

Kärpät pulled Vedenpää for an extra attacker with four minutes remaining, but Joachim Blichfeld sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 56:00, set up by Benjamin Rautiainen.

• William Wiå (Tappara) — 1 goal, 1 assist. Involved in two of Tappara's five goals and a constant threat off the rush. Player of the match.
• Jyrki Jokipakka (Tappara) — Opened the scoring inside 47 seconds and anchored the blue line. Finished +2 on the night.
• Kasper Kulonummi (Tappara) — Scored his first goal since returning to the club and drew a penalty. Physical presence at both ends.
• Eetu Koivistoinen (Kärpät) — Kärpät's best forward; scored the lone goal and created several chances in the second period.

Tappara's 2–0 first-period lead reflected their territorial dominance — they held Kärpät to just three shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes. The second period was more even, with Kärpät generating zone time and drawing four Tappara penalties, but Christian Heljanko was reliable when called upon. The decisive stat line is Tappara's third-period efficiency: three goals on six shots, two of them within 17 seconds, turning a 2–1 game into a 5–1 blowout. Power play: Tappara 1-for-4, Kärpät 0-for-4.

Tappara finish their pre-season with a 2–3 record (wins against Ilves and Kärpät; losses to JYP, Kiekko-Espoo and Jokerit in a shootout). New head coach Kari Jalonen saw his team's best 60-minute performance of the pre-season. Kärpät, who lost 2–0 to Ilves the night before, end their pre-season with just one regulation win in four outings.

Next up: Tappara open the Liiga regular season at SaiPa on 1 September 2026. Kärpät begin their campaign at home against Ässät on the same date.

Tappara's statement win masks an uneven pre-season, but the final 40 minutes — particularly the third-period explosion — showed the depth and structure Kari Jalonen has been building. Kärpät have defensive issues to address before the season starts; allowing five goals in a controlled friendly is a clear red flag.