Pyry Nokian — IPK: 3:5, Mestis

IPK moved to the top of Mestis with a 5:3 win at Pyyri Nokian on Wednesday evening. The visitors had won six of seven games this season and showed why. Pyyri had taken two points from their last three, but this was a different story.

To be fair, the hosts had momentum coming in. They had beaten Kettera 3:1 on Sunday and Rocky Rovaniemi 3:1 on Wednesday. But momentum does not mean much when the other side is on a run of six wins.

We had called this one in our preview. Sixty-nine per cent confidence in the away side, and here is the thing — it was not hard to see why. The form was there for anyone watching. It showed in the way the visitors controlled the tempo.

The result keeps IPK clear at the summit with one loss to their name. Pyyri remain in fifth, three wins and five losses, with games to make up for lost time. The gap at the top will only grow if this continues.

The hosts will need to find a way to match that intensity. Pyyri had shown they could compete, but consistency is what separates the top from the rest. It will take more than one good game to bridge the gap.