Suomi Here I Come:

Never advertise your holidays plans until you've actually made them. My schedule has changed country about three times, the games I plan to see has changed about ten times and the dates for the journey taking place has changed about a million times. It has all been very confusing but AT LAST I have some solid plans put in place. Bookings have been made and flights arranged. I'm 100% all in for a new Finnish hockey experience. Well for the first week of the holiday at least, the second week is still up in the air and open for change. It might be Finland, it might be Sweden...

During the first seven days I will take in three games. I am flying to Tampere to catch the Tappara vs Jokerit game. I have previously witnessed a warm up match at the Tampere Ice Hall but this time I want to see Mika Lehto steal the game from the Helsinki Jesters. The second game involves a short train journey up to Jyväskylä to see JYP take on TPS.
TPS are far from the team I saw play a few years back, they have struggled to put results together and have found themselves slipping down the SM-Liiga table. Saying that thought they still have quality players in their line up. Marko Kiprusoff and Aki-Berg to name two should be exciting to see.

The last game I plan to see in Finland involves TPS again but this time up in Oulu. I hope their is gonna be tons of snow that far north and Oulu better have all the bikes the lonley planet guide book says it does. Its a reason for going itself apparently. I also can't wait to taste the genius of Lapin Kulta beer and to experience the awesomeness of Hesburger again. Both are highly recommended by the way. So back to the hockey. The Kärpät vs TPS game is the one I'm most excited about, I seriously cant wait to witness the genius of Kärpät on their home ice. The players they have are simply amazing and having the chance to see the likes of Janne Pesonen, Michal Bros, Hannes Hyvönen, Kalle Sahlstedt, Ondrej Kratena and not forgetting Ex Paisley Pirate netminder Jaakko Suomalainen all skate for the same team is possibly a once in a life-time opportunity for me. So I'll certainly be enjoying that game to the fullest!!

After that who knows maybe a game in Stockholm or maybe back to the south of Finland for a Pelicans match. I don't really know just yet but Suomi here I come!