EräViikingit defeat Hawks in memorial match for Mika Ahonen

EräViikingit secured a 4-3 victory against Hawks in a match that served as a memorial for Mika Ahonen. Before the game, Kurre Westerlund delivered a tribute to his longtime friend and former head coach, announcing Ahonen as the 20th member of the EräViikingit Hall of Fame. The ceremony was attended by Ahonen’s mother, Anneli.

In terms of gameplay, Hawks initially took the lead, but EräViikingit managed to equalize with a goal from Joona Hokkanen just six seconds before the end of the second period. After a tense third period, Sakari Kataja-Rahko scored the decisive goal to secure the win for the home team.

Despite the victory, EräViikingit head coach Miro Mäkelä has noted a difficult start to the F-liiga season. He highlighted challenges in translating training performance into match results, particularly regarding ball possession and adapting playstyles to different opponents. Mäkelä is currently working to find a consensus on the team's identity and how to best utilize the current roster.