Ilves heads to Hämeenlinna for lone midweek clash with HPK

Ilves arrives on a split start to the Liiga season. They beat Lukko 2–0 in Rauma but lost 5–1 to Ässät in Pori, with Luke Henman scoring Ilves's lone goal late in that match. The trip to Hämeenlinna follows their recent visit to Pori in an earlier preview.

HPK has matched Ilves's 1–1 opening record. They opened with a 4–1 win in Mikkeli but fell 5–3 to HIFK in Helsinki, where Sami Päivärinta, Andrej Kukuča and Chad Nychuk scored.

Last season Ilves swept all four meetings with HPK, including an 8–3 victory in Hämeenlinna. Lukáš Jašek led those head-to-heads with 1+5, while Cameron Wright paced HPK at 2+2.

This season Henman is Ilves's top scorer at 1+1. Päivärinta sits second in the league scoring race at 4+2 after opening the season with a hat-trick.

HPK has made wide-ranging roster and coaching changes. Joni Puurula replaced Aleksis Virtanen as coach, and the squad added Chad Nychuk, Valtteri Piiroinen and Andrej Kukuča.

If selected, Otto Latvala will make his 400th Liiga regular-season appearance in the game.

Ilves+ starts its live pregame show at 17:30 on Tuesday 8 September. The coverage also features a WhatsApp mystery question to answer, with the number 050 553 1931, and a chance to win a 2026–27 season ticket. According to Ilves, the episode release time is 00:00 every Tuesday for subscribers, while those who are not subscribers can watch from Wednesday.

Ilves adds that the weekly Ilvestyskirja. Nyt. podcast returns with club-tied guest episodes, and that this week’s guest is new goaltending coach Simo Vehviläinen.

MTV Urheilu's live broadcast starts at 18:15.