Ice Hockey

Ice Hockey is the national sport of Finland and something of an obsession for many. It was definately high on my list of things to do in Finland so when my university offered cheap tickets for exchange students, I jumped at the chance.

Finishing our beers before entering the stadium

The game was held at Hartwall Arena, the largest venue in Helsinki, home of Jokerit. The opposing team was HIFK and together they are the biggest teams in the city, so it was all set to be a very exciting game. About 30 of us from Evtek went together after drinking a few beers in Leppavaara.

The teams line up before the game

Within 1 minute of the start of the match there was a rather savage fight between 2 opposing players. We were all waiting to see a big fight, as it's quite normal in hockey, so this was expected. However it was apparently a bit over the top even for ice hockey and has become the biggest sports headline in Finland, with the police currently investigating the incident.

Seconds before the goal

Few of us knew anything about ice hockey, but apart from a couple of unexplained penalties, it's pretty easy to understand. The action is intense and very fast paced. Not long into the game Jokerit were already 2-0 up, with me being just about the only person from Evtek supporting HIFK.

Metzii and Cesar get involved in the game

The stadium was very impressive and much larger than I expected. We had a great view of the action despite being near the back, so you get a good view no matter where you're seated. The atmosphere was electric - the opposing fans were chanting and singing throughout, unfurling massive banners and flags, with rock music playing every time the action paused. It really is quite a show.

The Jokerit fans, while they were still winning

Eventually the tables turned and HIFK were able to end the game with a 5-2 win, leaving me the smug winner and everyone else disillusioned with the sport. I was very impressed by the whole experience and definately intend to go again - in fact I think I'm becoming something of an ice hockey fan. It's nice to see something completely different from the usual British sports of football, rugby, cricket etc, so I highly recommend seeing a hockey game if you get the chance.

A lot more has happened in the past week for me to write about, so stay tuned for further updates in a few days!