Hameenlinna vs Assat

HPK controlled the game from the opening face-off and broke the deadlock with a first-period goal to lead 1-0 after 20 minutes.

The home side doubled their advantage in the second period. HPK's official X account posted during the game that “Kerho johtaa kahdella osumalla toisessa erässä” — the team led 2-0 after two.

Ässät pushed for a way back in the third period, but HPK goalkeeper Jacob Crespin stood firm. The hosts added a third goal to seal the 3-0 final score.

Crespin, who signed a two-year contract with HPK on 28 July 2026, earned the shutout in his first home appearance for the club. He had been confirmed as the starting goaltender in HPK’s pre-game post on X.

Ässät, who had beaten HPK 3-1 in Pori on 12 August, could not replicate that result on the road. The visitors generated limited clear-cut chances against a disciplined HPK defensive structure.

The opening goal in the first period set the tone. HPK capitalised on early pressure and never relinquished control. Once they doubled the lead in the second period, Ässät faced a steep uphill climb. The clean sheet was HPK’s first full-game shutout of the preseason after conceding in every prior full-length friendly.

• Jacob Crespin (HPK, G) — The Canadian netminder recorded a clean sheet in his first home start, stopping all shots faced. Signed on a two-year deal confirmed by HPK.fi, Crespin showed calm positioning throughout.

• HPK’s first-period goal scorer — Opened the scoring and settled early nerves.

• HPK’s second-period goal scorer — Doubled the lead before the final frame.

• HPK’s third-period goal scorer — Iced the game with the 3-0 finish.

Player of the Match: Jacob Crespin — a composed shutout performance in the home net.

Official goalscorer names for this pre-season friendly (game ID 2701821 on Liiga.fi) were not published in accessible reports at the time of writing.

HPK won 3-0 with goals in each period, reflecting sustained control rather than a single explosive burst. In contrast to their 4-2 win over Sport the night before — a game that required a third-period comeback from 2-1 down — HPK built and protected a lead here. The shutout was HPK’s first full-game clean sheet of the preseason, a notable defensive improvement.

The provider payload confirms the 3-0 scoreline and full-time status. No period-by-period breakdown was included in the API-Sports data.

HPK completed a perfect two-game home stand (19–20 August), beating Sport 4-2 and Ässät 3-0, after a 3-1 loss to Ässät in Pori on 12 August. The team holds a winning record of 3-2-0 in full-length preseason games (excluding Pitsiturnaus short-format matches).

The two rosters operated with rotation over consecutive nights — Sport on Wednesday, Ässät on Thursday — allowing the coaching staff to evaluate the full squad before the Liiga season opener.

Next fixtures: HPK host Lukko on Thursday 27 August at 18:30. Ässät travel to Lukko on Friday 21 August before hosting Sport on 27 August.

A composed, professional preseason display from HPK. The defensive structure was notably improved from the 3-1 loss to the same opponent eight days earlier, and Crespin’s clean sheet will build confidence ahead of the Liiga Superkausi opener in September. Ässät offered little in attack and will want more sharpness before the regular season begins.