Liiga Roundup: Tappara End Losing Streak With Assat Shutout, Kiekko-Espoo Down KooKoo

Oliver Suvanto netted a shorthanded opener for Tappara

Latest Liiga results and standings as Assat lose 3-0 to Tappara and miss chance for first place. Kiekko-Espoo defeat KooKoo 4-2 in Espoo as visitors remain bottom of table.

Assat miss chance for top spot after Tappara shutout as Kiekko-Espoo beat KooKoo...

Assat had an opportunity to climb to the top of the Liiga standings but were shut out by Tappara, while KooKoo stay rooted to the bottom after losing to Kiekko-Espoo.

Starting the evening in fourth place, just two points off the lead with none of the teams above them playing, Assat could have taken first place. Instead, they remain fourth following a 3-0 defeat to Tappara, who ended a three-game losing streak.

With both sides struggling for form, the game was slow to ignite, and remained scoreless after the first period. It then sprang to life but in one direction only, as Oliver Suvanto struck shorthanded and Jyrki Jokipakka doubled the lead before the end of the second period. Joni Tuulola sealed the result in the third, while Juha Metsola made 21 saves to secure the shutout.

🚨 "Hockey is a momentum game" @Tapparaofficial iskee kahdesti erikoistilanteista kakkoserään! 💥 📺 @MTVUrheilu | #Liiga https://t.co/Th9tDBoh7L

— Liiga (@smliiga) October 21, 2026

Kiekko-Espoo and Tappara remain tied on points in ninth and tenth respectively, as Kiekko-Espoo secured a 4-2 victory over KooKoo to snap a two-game losing run. The visitors, meanwhile, failed to build on their win over Tappara the previous day and sit nine points adrift of safety.

This contest started much quicker, with Kiekko-Espoo leading 2-0 after just five minutes as Linus Oberg opened the scoring before Jere Vaisanen added a shorthanded goal. Veeti Miettinen pulled one back midway through the game, and after Carter King restored the two-goal cushion early in the third period, Robert Rooba hit back immediately for KooKoo as they refused to fold, before Oberg's second into an empty net finally secured the win.

🚨 On sitten pehmeää lapasta Jere Väisäsellä! 🧤😮‍💨 📺 @MTVUrheilu | #Liiga https://t.co/YetKkpb0U7

— Liiga (@smliiga) October 21, 2026