Jukurit back on top of Liiga table as KooKoo's dreadful start continues

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/jukurit/vmuCbWr3/"]Jukurit[/a] have played seven matches this season, more than any other Liiga side, but [b]five wins on the bounce[/b] has made them deserved leaders, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pelicans-lahti/nJrUIp93/"]Pelicans[/a] have slipped to two defeats in a row following their three-game winning start after [b]the Mikkeli men won [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/jukurit-vmuCbWr3/pelicans-nJrUIp93/?mid=xvKMvNYP"]3-1[/a] at home.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nutivaara-markus/EXpHQp3e/"]Markus Nutivaara[/a]'s goal had the visitors ahead come the end of the first period before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olsen-thomas/KzX1hl5T/"]Thomas Olsen[/a] found an equaliser six minutes into the second, but the final 20 minutes belonged to Jukurit, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lintuniemi-alex/KSx9aCbH/"]Alex Lintuniemi[/a] put them ahead before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/koponen-elias/j1HrDNnq/"]Elias Koponen[/a] found the empty net late on the secure the points.[/p][embed guid="571f931a-19eb-464c-b8f5-139ea2aa4a4a" url="https://x.com/smliiga/status/2101000402216898627" social-type="twitter" /][p]Having been one of the main title challengers last season, [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kookoo/ljjApDE3/"]KooKoo[/a] have played four and lost four[/b] without picking up a single point, and to make matters worse, they suffered their first shutout of the season at home to [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saipa/Q9sYH4O9/"]SaiPa[/a], whose [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/kookoo-ljjApDE3/saipa-Q9sYH4O9/?mid=tz90XvRa"]4-0[/a] win was their third victory from three[/b] games played.[/p][p]Needing overtime in their previous win means SaiPa aren't on maximum points, but they made sure they took the three on offer this evening as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fridrich-petr/Ek4CBOjP/"]Petr Fridrich[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/palmu-petrus/fi8PSdv6/"]Petrus Palmu[/a] struck in the first period before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tauslahti-miro/SQv3Cutf/"]Miro Tauslahti[/a] scored shorthanded early in period two. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/siikanen-patrik/WSqBQ3gC/"]Patrik Siikanen[/a] wrapped up the scoring in the third period, while [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grigals-gustavs/nLNAPCXu/"]Gustav Grigals[/a] was only forced into 15 saves[/b] to complete the shutout.[/p][embed guid="7ba6ed97-b22b-4260-b876-690e00cf3dc0" url="https://x.com/smliiga/status/2101019709634134491" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ilves-tampere/Oh5uGzDT/"]Ilves[/a] are up to third[/b] in the standings after securing a fourth win in five matches this season, as [b]they held on to win [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/ilves-Oh5uGzDT/kalpa-tMuMK6vi/?mid=8MAhZ0dm"]2-1[/a] at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kalpa-kuopio/tMuMK6vi/"]KalPa[/a][/b], who have alternated between defeat and victory across their five outings this term.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heikkinen-ilvari/dxJGfluK/"]Ilvari Heikkinen[/a] had the Tampere side a goal up midway through the half before - officially - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/korhonen-benjamin/ADZk5DHC/"]Benjamin Korhonen[/a] doubled the lead early in period two, though the goal was a calamitous one of KalPa's own making. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rissanen-jaakko/48zoIRV2/"]Jaakko Rissanen[/a] pulled one back just before the midpoint in the match, but KalPa were unable to force an equaliser, as Ilves won for the third match running.[/p][embed guid="beed4faf-7a31-4810-98ec-310d8661610a" url="https://x.com/smliiga/status/2100986112646713637" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/finland/liiga/"]Follow the Liiga on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]