HJK fell to two defeats and picked up just four points in last season's four Helsinki derbies, but after a Liiga Cup victory in February, they showed they are still top dogs in the capital with a 3-0 success at Mustapekka Areena.
The key moment came just before half-time, when Lucas Lingman delivered for Teemu Pukki to score his second of the campaign. Seven minutes after the restart, the veteran striker proved he stay has some pace, as he chased a long David Ezeh clearance, rounded the goalkeeper and completed his brace.
With 11 minutes to go, Mihailo Bogicevic scored his first goal for the club to wrap up a comfortable win - HJK's second this season as they bounced back from their loss at AC Oulu last time, while Gnistan are still without a point.
Champions KuPS dropped points for the first time this season as they grabbed a late equaliser to draw at Jaro, who have now played out back-to-back stalemates but are still awaiting their first win.
Jaro thought they were on for an upset after the referee spotted a handball in the box and Rudi Vikstrom sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot after 40 minutes.
But the home side were denied in the 90th minute, when Petteri Pennanen found Jaime Moreno, who slotted in his third of the season to share the spoils.
Top of the standings as the only side with nine points from nine are the surprise package AC Oulu, though they needed a big decision to go their way midway through the second half, when Martti Haukioja was shown a straight red card for pulling back Julius Korkko.
Just seven minutes later, Oulu made their man advantage count when Iiro Mendolin's low shot from the edge of the area went all the way through to give the home side another win, while VPS - who finished with nine men as Oluwaseyi Ogunniyi was sent off in added time - remain on two points following a first defeat of 2026.
The only challenger to Oulu for best start of the season is TPS, as the newly-promoted side moved onto seven points from three matches with a home victory over SJK.
Midway through the first half, a deep cross was nodded back across goal by Eetu Turkki for Albijon Muzaci to volley in from close range, and the Kosovar forward made it a brace for himself early in the second half to settle a second win in a row, while SJK have lost both away encounters this season.
An entertaining game on Aland saw Mariehamn and Ilves take a point each, while both are among the five sides still to win this season.
The visitors went ahead midway through the first half when a Jesse Kilo cutback was guided in by Otto Tiitinen, but the home side drew level on the stroke of half-time when Emmanuel Patut lashed home a volley from a corner.
Patut turned provider for Sebastian Dahlstrom to turn the match on its head 10 minutes into the second half, but Mariehamn were only ahead for eight minutes, as Kilo registered his second assist of the game by teeing up Teemu Hytonen to draw the Tampere side level.
Following an opening day win, it's back-to-back losses for newly-promoted Lahti, who went down at home to unbeaten Inter Turku.
Alie Conteh missed the chance to break the deadlock after an hour when he failed to convert a penalty, but just five minutes later FC Inter went ahead from another set piece, as Johannes Yli-Kokko curled a free-kick past the rooted goalkeeper.
Jussi Niska wrapped up the points deep into added time, as the Turku side secured consecutive victories.