PIRKKOLA, HELSINKI. It’s three quarters to the start of the game, but people are still pouring in small groups towards the Pirkkola ice rink.
The crowd gathers to wait for the doors to open. There is no ticket window, because the fourth final of the Jokerite and Tappara youth SM series is sold out.
Junior manager of Jokers Mikko Nurminen says on the upper platform of the hall that 550 stands were sold in just over an hour.
– Jokeri people and fans have clearly taken the U20 team as their representative team. It has been seen as people in the stands and support.
According to Nurminen, Jokeri was surprised when the hall was filled for the first playoff match. Since then, Pirkkola has been practically sold out.
– The previous game also sold quickly, but not as quickly as this one. People’s interest has been growing all the time. It has been a challenge to get the message out to all people that they have a fair chance to buy tickets, says Nurminen.
The mood rises
When the judges are skating on the ice, the Joker’s supporters stretch their vocal chords for the first time. A moment later, the song is resounding around the hall.
Flags in the air, scarves around our necks, today we sing for the Jokers.
Many supporters recognize the color and even the flags fly according to the words of the song. When the game starts, the supporters’ chant does not stop until Tappara’s somewhat lucky lead after three minutes.
Tappara strikes for the second time in the opening round, after having played more than 40 SM league matches Rönnin’s top the shot goes through the post and into the net.
– Fight the Jokers, the fan base continues rhythmically as Tappara airs his hit.
The atmosphere is like in a football stadium, where the song is fresh even after the goals. Now, however, all this can be seen in an under-20 hockey game.
During the break, I go to the supporters stand. Vice-chairman of Eteläpääty ry Roope Räty has already caught the eye from the middle of the audience before.
– It’s been a pretty tough fight. Yesterday we were in Tampere and now here. But this is kind of the best time. We have to hope that the numbers will turn around so that we will be able to visit Tampere one more time, Räty says hopefully.
What makes you tour with the youth team?
– It is this club, but also the community, that we have. Those people, Räty says.
The commitment is visible
Räty talks passionately about juniors. He praises how the players play for the Jokers logo and don’t think about the dollars. They play for the love of the sport.
– I hope that even a part of this spirit can be seen in the national team.
– The team has a wonderful story. We wondered if we would even make it to the upper secondary series and now we are in the finals. The commitment is wonderful and warms the heart. In my heart, these guys have already won so much this season.
There is a small kiosk near the supporter’s stand, which of course sells, among other things, coffee and mocha pieces. You can buy the traditional kisa sausage outside the hall. According to the sellers’ estimate, there will be more than four hundred of them tonight.
However, let’s go back inside the hall. The grandstand is not the only place where color is recognized. With a quick glance, you’ll notice, for example, an old Jokerit cap like by Brian O’Neill fan shirt.
Dressed in O’Neil’s shirt Emmi Maila looking forward to the fate of Joker’s Mestis license.
– When the news came last spring, I cried for quite a few hours.
– I was dragged here as a child, and it’s a part of me that you can’t just take away. It left me feeling empty. Now, when there is an opportunity to replace that empty feeling, of course it will be done.
“You can’t go to Nordis”
Dragged Emmi to the matches Henri Maila has supported Jokers since the 1980s. He has watched fifteen matches of the U20 team this season.
– There are no other games to watch. It won’t go to the Nordis, Henri Maila answers the question, what makes you follow the performances of the young team.
– It really doesn’t work for Nordis. This is the best there is. The jacket won’t turn, Emmi Maila is tripping.
The duo is looking forward to, among other things, possible Stad derbies in the future.
– If there is a chance to go to the league, then the Stadi derbies, because I have no memory of them, says Emmi Maila.
– Stad’s local games would be the salt that is expected, says Henri Maila.
Also watched 20 matches on the spot Marko Kemppinen has wanted to quench his puck hunger at the Juniors’ matches, when there hasn’t been a representative team at all.
Kemppinen, who has supported the Jokers for over 30 years, sees that the Jokeri’s situation looks good at the moment.
– There are really good juniors there. I hope we could hold them so that as many as possible join the Mestis club next season.
– I expect from the future that we will be in Mestis, we will progress to the SM league and we will get a representative team, Maarit Pesonen in turn says.
The tackle ignites the hall
“Can not be!” exclaims one of the spectators, when Tappara takes a 4–0 lead in the middle of the game. Not long after the hit, an even louder shudder is heard from the stands.
Tapparan Tommi Männistö tackle the Jokers Kalle from Kanga from the back and receives a 2+10-minute penalty for his act.
This also wakes up the seating audience, which previously was content to clap rhythmically along with the supporter headboard. Now dozens of people stand up and loudly demand to be driven out, gesturing with their hands.
“Throw it in the yard!” one of the spectators shouts after the whistling concert and boos have died down a bit.
Emotions heat up to the extent that even unprintable text is shouted onto the field. The jokers supporter, on the other hand, sings how “things are about to get out of hand”, referring to the refereeing.
However, the whistle is not blown for the outing. Tappara, who defended closely throughout the match, finds out its inferiority complex and scores the fifth goal of the evening at the end of the set. Aatu Wulffin the reduction brings meager comfort to the home crowd.
Tappara celebrates the championship
The final set already has the flavor of playing. However, the supporters are not silent. They sing and clap loudly until the end of the match.
Tappara wins the match 6–2 and celebrates the Finnish championship with a 3–1 match victory. The people of Tampere throw themselves on the ice, throw their equipment in the air, and not everyone can stand up.
A phased season
After the game, the head coach of the Jokers Tero Määtt walks down the corridor of the hall disappointed.
– We all hit the game. The opponent was better and we couldn’t find ways to break down their defense.
– There’s nothing else to do than tip my hat to Tappara. The best team in the series, congratulations to them.
The season has been long and full of stages for the young Jokers. For example, there was no information about the home hall until last summer.
– This feels like such a long season. 11 and a half months. All kinds of things have happened here. We left with unclear and uncertain feelings about where we will play and practice.
According to Määtä, the team went quite deep during the season and was already about to fall to the lower final series.
– We got up and it gave power. This is a great team that had a great community behind it. Above all, together with the team, we created the fact that the fans could be proud of us.
During the interview, some supporters are still singing in the stands, even though the game has already ended half an hour ago.
– I’m bad at using superlatives, but it’s absolutely amazing, he praises the supporters.
According to Määtä, there have been dark moments during the season, but the supporters have brought strength to the team.
– We played in a town at 12:30 and we thought there would only be 10 people in the stands, but our supporters were there.
– Basically, they have been to every one of our away matches. It has been an asset for certain moments.
Has the interest around the Jokers influenced your work at all?
– I have to say that there is always so much negative news about us. In the last few weeks, positive signals have started to come, but it has had a positive effect, that the fans and this community have been supportive, Määtt spins and reminds about other background people as well.
– When the signals start to be a little more positive, it will definitely help everyday life.
Ilta-Sanomat has already told you (you will switch to another service), that Määttä would be the Jokerires’ head coach, if the team gets a place from Mestis. Like other clubs, the fate of the Jokerites Mestis license will be decided later.
Määtta states that he is not allowed to comment on matters related to Mestis. He does, however, agree to divulge the team’s plans for the possible composition of the upcoming season.
– A few players will continue, I can’t say the exact number. There is also a way out, we can’t keep everyone like we never can. But youthfulness in appropriate amounts.
When the interview is over, it’s already 40 minutes since the end of the game. Still, I am far from the last spectator to leave the hall.
There are still a few dozen of them in the supporters corner.