Kiekko-Pojat Joensuu — Pyry Nokian: 4:2, Mestis

Kiekko-Pojat Joensuu beat Pyry Nokian 4:2 in the Mestis on 18 September 2026. The home side ended a three-match losing run that had left them bottom of the early table. By then the away side had already collected three points from three games and sat third, though both clubs carried zero points in the official standings.

The hosts came in off heavy defeats — 3:5 to K-Vantaa, 3:7 to KeuPa and 1:5 to IPK — and needed something to change. They found it against a Nokian outfit that had just scored seven past KeuPa in their previous outing. The match itself was decided in the opening exchanges, and here's the thing: Joensuu never let the visitors settle into any rhythm after they took the lead.

For the away side, this was their first loss since a narrow 3:4 defeat to TYT Hockey on 11 September. They had won four of their previous five games, including that emphatic 7:1 victory, but against Joensuu they found themselves chasing from the start. To be fair, they pushed hard, but the home defence held firm and the attack finished what it started.

Both teams remain level on zero points despite the different number of games played — four for Joensuu, three for Nokian. The table has barely moved in these opening rounds, and the gap between seventh and third place is measured in games rather than points at this stage.