You can never have too much joy and happiness, at least in this gray world, writes Jussi Paasi.
Jussi Paasi sports reporter
176.
Hundred. Seventy. Six.
Measured in days, the number does not seem very long. But in terms of hockey matches, that’s a long time. Even a small-scale eternity – at least, if you have to wait that long for your first goal.
Rami Määtä waited. The wait continued for so long that Määt had time to break Matti Hanan record.
Hana played a total of 161 matches in the SM league without scoring a single goal. Counting from the start of his career, it was the longest streak in league history.
Positive humor has been spun from the endless wait both in Pori ässie’s locker room and in ‘s Ice Hockey tour broadcasts. At the same time, we have thought about what would happen if Määtä finally succeeded in scoring.
The answer was received on Thursday, February 22 in Pori’s Isomää arena. Company number 177 finally paid off.
Rami Määttä scored a goal. And a really beautiful one too.
Even if you hate ice hockey, I promise you will love everything that happened after Määtä’s goal.
We were Urheilu’s expert Nättinen’s top have discussed many times with how Määtä would score his first goals. We guessed everything possible, from a wild pump of chatter to an extremely restrained, leaf-like, careful raising of the hand, but Määtä’s show surprised you – even himself.
Määtä said that he had planned a different ventilation, but when he staggered after hitting the ice surface, the defender decided to spontaneously start push-ups.
The most beautiful moments were experienced after that. Määtä skated around the rink, lived like a small child who had just taken his first running steps, fanned the primitive wildly and incited the audience to wild screams.
I burst into spontaneous laughter while watching what is probably the longest airing in league history.
The moment reminded me of what is ultimately the most important thing in hockey and sports.
Play. Joy. Laughter. Open display of emotions. And the fact that you can share that joyful play with others.
Togetherness, happiness at another’s success. It roared wonderfully in the evening of Isomä. At the same time, the Pori audience showed what sports culture means. Standing ovation. The most passionate ones tore their shirts off in the standing audience.
When the whole Isomäki roared Määta’s name, the hero dried the sweat from his face, a smile in his ears. A few tears of happiness must have been wiped at the same time.
Let’s all learn from this.
First of all, about how you can never have too much joy and happiness. At least here in the gray gray. Emotions can and should be shown. The fleeting moments of happiness must be grasped fully, as cliché as it sounds.
However, the most important lesson of the incident seems to be to never give up and never give up. Good work will be rewarded. Sooner or later.
And at the same time, you should always keep a little sparkle in the corner of your eye. Määtt gave an example of that when describing his first goal.
– It has not been a habit to score ugly goals in the League.