In the World Ice Hockey Championships, it is measured in an extremely short time whether the tournament will end in success or the famous disaster, writes journalist Jussi Paasi.
Jussi PaasiWrites about the World Championships from Tampere
– Play, devil! Do something!
In the quiet Arena of Tampere, the cry of a pained supporter echoed when the Lions’ game slowed down for the worse in the second period of the match against Austria.
Nothing happened in Kaukalo. At least nothing that the fans would have been happy about. Finland won 3–1, but the performance was not very good.
The Lions’ performances in the opening series of the World Hockey Championships have spoken. Among supporters, in the media, everywhere. Of course.
Everyone has an opinion on whether Finland has been good enough in the opening series of the tournament. It’s not, you have to be able to do better, or else there will be a pick-up!
Everyone knows who the superstar with Mikko Rantanen should be in the same chain. Kaapo Kako, it’s clear now! What does it Jukka Jalonen really think?
It is true that Finland’s performances in these games have not convinced yet. But does it matter in the end?
The deep chest voice of experience is worth listening to amidst all the noise. That voice is found Kalervo from Kummola.
Hockey legends met each other on Saturday in Tampere for a festive lunch. Almost all the living figures of Finnish ice hockey arrived. Kummola is naturally one of them.
The iron chancellor’s statements were a sought-after commodity. A group of reporters gathered around Kummola. The recent mayor of Tampere, of course, also gave his opinion on the performances of the Lions.
– Quite often, when the beginning has been painful, at the end there has been thanks, Kummola stated in his calm manner.
Kale knows what he’s talking about. He has been experiencing the Lions’ ups and downs for decades.
In the midst of criticizing the Lions, many forget the deepest essence of the World Cup. It’s a one-to-one system. Ice hockey superpowers almost always make it to the top eight.
After that, in one match, it is measured whether the final result of the tournament is success or the famous disaster.
And no matter how small, the scales can tilt to either success or huge disappointment.
In the semifinals in 2019 Marko Anttila scored a late equalizer against Sweden. In overtime of the same game, Tre Kronor had the perfect spot to score the winning goal, but moments later Sakari Manninen shot a vulture shot that took Finland to the medal games – and in the end Leijonat won a sensational championship.
Who knows what would have happened in the following years if Sweden had won that game.
In the 2014 Games, Switzerland narrowly beat Latvia in the last game of the preliminary series. If Latvia had won, Leijonat would not have reached the playoffs. Finland progressed all the way to the finals, despite the miserable opening series.
Similar examples could be listed numerous.
How one plays in the first series simply does not have much weight. It’s enough, as long as you survive. Just one game, the quarterfinals, will decide practically everything.
Yes, we can talk endlessly about the famous development of the game during the tournament, but when playing a best-of-one “match series”, practically anything can happen.
Kummola’s words should therefore be kept in mind.
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