Espoo beat Pelicans Lahti 4-2 in a club friendly match on 21 August 2026. The result extended Espoo's momentum after a 4-3 victory over Linköping HC two days earlier, while Pelicans went another step further from their 2-4 defeat to IFK Helsingfors on 14 August. The hosts had not managed a win in their last five matches, losing four and drawing none.
Espoo came into the fixture on the back of a 2-0 clean sheet against Tappara, showing a different side to their game compared to the heavier scoring matches against Ässät earlier in the season. Pelicans, by contrast, had been on the receiving end of some heavy defeats, including a 5-0 loss to Kuku on 30 March. They were still looking for consistency.
The final scoreline told its own story. Pelicans had only managed two goals across their recent run of matches, while Espoo found the net in each of their last five outings. The difference in form was clear enough without needing to look further.
For Pelicans, this result added to a run of poor form that saw them lose four of their last five games. Their last victory came against IFK Helsingfors, and even that was followed by another defeat. They will need to find their rhythm before the competitive season starts.
Espoo moved on two points from their previous result and kept their confidence up. The win over Pelicans was not as emphatic as their 4-3 match against Linköping, but it was a step in the right direction. They will now look to build on this before their next fixture.