The Kärpät – Ilves semi-final was interrupted in Oulu with Kärppi leading 1–0.
The captain of the flies, Atte Ohtamaa (right), examined the condition of the ice. Jussi Määttä / PicFactor Oy
– The ice advertisement was broken in some way and could not be fixed, the competition director of the League Arto I. Järvelä described a crack in the ice at the edge of the ad.
– It was an unfinished place on these schedules. Attendees said it was not safe to play. The decision was then, after all, an easy one.
The match will end until Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. It will be extended from playing time 10.12 with the flies leading Saku Mäenalasen with a goal of 1–0.
– Ice repair takes overnight. We could continue the game in the morning, but it wouldn’t make any sense, Järvelä said.
The semi-final place is interrupted for Ilves, who lead the semi-semi-final 3–2. A possible seventh match will be played on Wednesday in Tampere.
– We regret that this is happening, Järvelä told Ilves fans who have traveled from Tampere to Raksila, among other places.
– There are sometimes challenges with ice.
With the same ticket
Monday’s match tickets are of course also valid on Tuesday.
– Technically, we’re reopening the game. The same ticket goes, but they are read when you come in, CEO of the Flies Tommi Virkkunen informoi.
– We hope that as many people as possible will come.
The flies informed in the eveningthat if the viewer is prevented from using their ticket, the money can also be claimed back.
Virkkusen was busy in the evening, as continuing the match the next day is not a simple matter.
– There will be quite concrete things, all the fins and systems.
Not the first
Järvelä remembers similar incidents in the League before.
– We’ve had games suspended. I have remembered the ice, at least in Jyväskylä and Helsinki, Järvelä said.
The last time the freezing system pipe was broken in HIFK’s home hall on Nordenskiöldinkatu was in September 2020, when the Super Series, which was played against three against three during the training season, was to culminate in Helsinki.
– I have a personal experience from the 90’s in Pori. I don’t remember how much the start of the match was postponed, but then the ice was fixed, Järvelä recalled his own refereeing times.