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Kiekko-Espoo and Växjö Lakers share spoils in 1-1 closed-doors friendly at Metro Areena
Match report: Kiekko-Espoo 1-1 Växjö Lakers in a pre-season friendly played behind closed doors at Espoo Metro Areena on 26 August 2026 after the original venue was cancelled.
Kiekko-Espoo and SHL side Växjö Lakers played out a 1-1 draw in a pre-season friendly at Espoo Metro Areena on Wednesday evening, both goals arriving in the third period of a match that was only confirmed hours before puck-drop after an air-conditioning failure forced a venue change.
The fixture was originally scheduled for Tuesday 25 August at Kaunianinen but was cancelled due to "olosuhteet" (conditions) at that venue. After a day of negotiations, Kiekko-Espoo sporting director Kim Hirschovits confirmed the game would go ahead at Metro Areena — without spectators.
"Urheilullisesti oli tärkeää saada ottelu pelattua tavalla tai toisella," Hirschovits told the club website. "Växjö on matkustanut Ruotsista Espooseen tätä ottelua varten, joten halusimme myös kunnioittaa heitä ja heidän valmistautumistaan tekemällä kaikkemme sen eteen, että joukkueet pääsevät kohtaamaan toisensa jäällä."
[From a sporting perspective it was important to get the game played one way or another. Växjö has travelled from Sweden to Espoo for this match, so we wanted to respect them and their preparation by doing everything we could to ensure the teams could meet on the ice.]
How it unfolded
The opening 40 minutes produced no goals as both teams used extended, experimental lineups typical of mid-August pre-season hockey. Kiekko-Espoo fielded four forward lines featuring captain Jere Sallinen, Arttu Tuomaala and try-out Linus Öberg, while Petteri Rimpinen started in goal.
Växjö's lineup included former NHL/AHL defenceman Keegan Lowe wearing an alternate captain's badge and Finnish forward Eemeli Suomi, but the SHL side's full roster was not published due to the last-minute nature of the organisation.
Both goals came in the third period. Växjö opened the scoring first before Kiekko-Espoo equalised, leaving the final score at 1-1. The specific goal-scorers and assist providers were not officially published, consistent with the closed-doors, no-broadcast format of the match.
The context of the game
This was Kiekko-Espoo's fourth pre-season fixture of summer 2026, following wins over Tappara (2-0 on 14 August), Linköping HC (4-3 away on 19 August) and Pelicans (4-2 away on 21 August). The Liiga newcomers have won three and drawn one of their four warm-up matches heading into the 2026-27 regular season.
For Växjö Lakers, this was their first public pre-season outing ahead of the 2026-27 SHL campaign. The two sides were scheduled to meet again the following evening (Thursday 27 August) at Lohjan jäähalli, with full public attendance permitted.
What it means
The 1-1 draw extends Kiekko-Espoo's unbeaten pre-season run to four matches. The club opens its Liiga regular season in September. Växjö Lakers will use the two-game Finnish trip as preparation for the SHL season, which also begins in September. The second match on 27 August at Lohja will give both teams a full-audience dress rehearsal.
Verdict
A pre-season friendly that will be remembered more for its logistical drama — cancelled, reinstated, relocated and played behind closed doors — than its on-ice action. Two scoreless periods gave way to a goal apiece in the third, a fair reflection of two sides still building match sharpness. The real test comes 24 hours later in Lohja.