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Teemu, Mika, Eemeli and Venni traveled over 3000 kilometers to watch two games of the playoff final between Servette and Biel. It’s hard to miss them at Les Vernets Halle and Tissot Arena. The four Finns wear yellow and black KalPa Kuopio jerseys with the number 70 of Teemu Hartikainen (32).
More than an hour before the start of the second act of this finale, the northerners are waiting patiently in front of the Biel ice rink. “We’ve known Teemu since he was a little boy,” says Mika Tossavainen, the veteran of the small group. The 106-kilogram behemoth of Servette was actually once ‘small’. “It was already robust back then,” says Teemu Vepsäläinen with a laugh. “We have followed his development on a personal and sporting level. He is much more confident now than he was then. The difference is impressive.”
How did the two men, accompanied by their children who play in the KalPa juniors, come up with the idea of traveling to Switzerland for these games? “We sit on the board of KalPa Kuopio with Teemu Hartikainen,” explains Tossavainen. Three years ago, ex-NHL star and Lugano coach Sami Kapanen sold his shares in the 2018 Spengler Cup winner to local investors.
Do the Finns want to pilot the world champion and Olympic champion home? “We know he still has a year’s contract in Geneva. Maybe one day it will work out. We can only hope,” says Vepsäläinen.
Mike & Co. also visited their friend in Russia
“We spent some time in Geneva with Teemu,” says Tossavainen. “Even though the play-offs are not the easiest time for a player, we were able to have dinner with him on Saturday afternoon.”
They had arranged another meeting late Sunday night to discuss the match. The problem? Servette lost the game 2-3 with 7 seconds left and Hartikainen had a bad night. His compatriots too. “Terrible, that was not good at all,” says Vepsäläinen and laughs before correcting himself. “No, to be honest it was quite a crazy night with a great atmosphere.” His friend Mika agrees: “In Finland we have a competition with a lot of fans at the games, but we really enjoyed the experience in Switzerland, both in Geneva and in Biel.”
Will Teemu, Mika, Eemeli and Venni return next season? “We haven’t booked yet, but there’s a good chance,” says Tossavainen. “We also visited Teemu once in Ufa, Russia, when he was still playing for Salavat. So Switzerland is not that far away.”
The return journey home was scheduled for the four Finns on Monday. No doubt they will also follow Hartikainen’s exploits in the land of 1000 lakes.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
