Ice Hockey World Cup: Maija Karjalainen, 91, is a Superfan of the Lions

“Of course, it’s a bit comical to shout here alone, but you couldn’t help but scream a little,” he laughs.

Karjalainen watched all the Lions’ matches during the World Cup tournament, even though the final match, which lasted past midnight, messed up the circadian rhythm.

“The next day it was a bit like a fog. But you couldn’t help but look at it!”

After the victory was decided, Karjalainen, who lives in Töölö, Helsinki, says that he looked out of the window of his apartment building and wondered if he should join the celebration. The sight on the streets of Helsinki brought to mind the celebration of the 1995 Ice Hockey World Cup gold.

“It was a tremendously wonderful experience then, when the trams were stopped and people took over the streets of the city center,” he recalls.

Idea celebrating in the middle of a crowd brought up memories of childhood and wartime. The native of Karja still remembers how scared he was in the middle of the crowd when he was evacuated from Helsinki after the start of the winter war.

In the festive frenzy of the Lions’ World Cup gold, however, the overriding emotions were joy and freedom.

“It was a wonderful and safe experience.”

The fifth World Cup gold in the Lions’ history got tens of thousands of revelers moving in Helsinki. On the Monday after the championship, Karjalainen also joined the crowd at the Mäntymäki field. Those who represented Finland in Eurovision aroused special admiration Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampeniuksen appearance as well as the Lions’ power forward Jesse Puljujärvi.

“It was funny how Puljujärvi made the audience cheer.”

Karjalainen does not raise the actual favorite player from the Lions’ championship team above the others. About the only 20-year-old who has become the Lions’ overtime hero From Konsta Helenius however, he has an important word to say.

“He should be given time to grow.”

When asked about his favorite team, Karjalainen doesn’t hesitate, but confesses to being a long-time Ilves supporter. His family members, on the other hand, support Tappara, who celebrated the Finnish championship in May. According to Karjalainen, the topic regularly arouses discussion in the family.

“It’s such an eternal bone of contention,” he laughs.

Sport brings excitement and community to Maija Karjalainen’s everyday life. He says that he is particularly impressed by the culture surrounding hockey, where successes are celebrated together.

“I enjoy immensely seeing how great things people can do together.”

We go for a walk around the corners of Karjalainen’s home in Helsinki’s Töölö. He shows me a place near the Olympic Stadium, where he watched the Lions’ celebration among tens of thousands of people.

According to Karjalainen, who celebrates his 92nd birthday this year, hockey fandom doesn’t care about age. The deepest essence of the sport lies in its authenticity.

“Hockey shows that in the end we are all just ordinary people.”

The Karelian’s greetings to the golden lions are concise.

“Enjoy the summer. Thank you on behalf of Finland.”