Ice hockey | HIFK fans took a stand on the fight in the Kärpät match

Oulu

HELSINKI IFK rolled Kärppi along Raksila’s ice in the opening set in the Saturday night match of the SM league and won the set cleanly 3–0. At the second break, HIFK already led 5–0.

The people from Helsinki were really effective in their goal posts, and Kärppi’s goalkeepers didn’t have the best evening speech.

HIFK supporters reached from the corridors of the ice rink during the first break Jan and Capa were satisfied with the performances of their favorite team.

“We proceeded a bit in the same way as yesterday at the Stad. In about ten minutes the game was 0-2, now we only put one better,” says Capa.

Jan was clearly convinced of HIFK’s opening set, as he made a bold promise.

“And today we’ll make it even better,” he said decisively.

And that’s what HIFK did. After about half of the match had been played, the scoreboard showed 0-5 away figures.

A pair of horses thought it would be nice if the teams played on consecutive days first in Helsinki – or Stadi, as the two swear – on Friday and in Oulu on Saturday.

“This is absolutely amazing. In the playoffs last year, we first played against Tappara twice in Stad, then three times in Tampere. Yes, the home stadium in every other game brings its own thing to this job,” Capa said.

Yesterday, Capa was watching the first show of the doubles games at the Nordenskiöldinkatu ice rink and drove to Oulu in the morning for the second match. Jan, on the other hand, came to Oulu on Thursday.

They are old acquaintances, but haven’t seen each other for a long time.

“You have to come all the way to Oulu to see someone else,” laughs Capa.

When asked if it would be better if, due to the long distance, the teams played on consecutive days first in Helsinki and later in Oulu, like the Jokerit and RoKi played in Mestis, the two thought for a moment.

“In a way, it’s understandable when the distance is still much longer. If it can be handled like that, then good. No need to saw back and forth. This is how it works,” Jan concludes.

In the opening set HIFK captain Ilari Melart and Kärppie’s fresh Canadian reinforcement Nick Ritchie fisted together.

The fist fight was already the third in a week in the SM league. The phenomenon has been widely discussed in hockey circles.

Jan and Capa don’t see a big problem in fighting. However, they pondered a possible reason for the increased fighting in domestic rinks.

“Overshoots always happen, there’s nothing you can do about it. This is an emotional game. Maybe then the opponent was taken out of the game,” speculates Jan.

Capa was on the same lines as his comrade.

“I didn’t see where the situation started, but Ritchie is a new guy for Kärpi, and the opposite was Melart, who is in the same size category. Melart is also a frame kit and captain, so would he have been wanted out of the game? It’s not the great thing that the fists swing, but it belongs to this sport. Back steps are not taken.”

“Always,” Jan interjects.

HIFK’s brightest stars were those who hit the hat trick on Saturday Eetu Koivistoinen and scored two goals Juha Jääskä.

HIFK won Friday’s match in overtime with a score of 4–3.