The streetscape of Tampere these days is colored by the international ice hockey people who have come to watch the Ice Hockey World Championships. Do they recognize Finland’s NHL stars?
- Iltalehti found out with a small street survey how well random passers-by in Tampere recognize Finnish Stanley Cup winners Mikko Rantanen and Olli Määtä based on just their face.
- We also asked what the respondents know about them and how they predict Finland will do in the World Cup.
It quickly becomes clear that there are more hockey fans in the sample, because the colors of Finland and other countries can be seen in Tampere’s streetscape in abundance.
The first to take up the challenge are those from the capital region and those who walk Hämeenkatu in Leijonien fan shirts Mikaela and Tumo.
Mikaela and Tuomo are confident in the success of the Lions. Jussi Saarinen
Mikko Rantanen the image turns to display.
– I don’t know, Mikaela shakes her head.
– After all, this is Mikko Rantanen, but Tuomo is nodding.
Then there is Olli Määtä picture turn.
– I know the face, I don’t remember the name, Mikaela reflects.
– Hello… it doesn’t light right away, Tuomo is also in pain.
A five-point tip from two Stanley Cup championships helps.
– Then this is Olli Määttä, Tuomo answers.
– I know better Ville Peltonen types of time. I’m worse at remembering these things, Mikaela says and guesses that Hannes Björninen could have been recognized from the modern lion.
Tuomo clearly remembers Rantanen’s record performances in the NHL regular season this season.
– He scored 105 points, 55 of which were goals.
Mikaela and Tuomo assure that they believe the Lions will win the World Cup gold again.
Finland Germany
Pirkka and Julia arrived at the games from Düsseldorf. Jussi Saarinen
Next, Iltalehti’s strike team stops a couple they think are Germans.
The woman has a German fan shirt on her shoulder, but after a small conversation in a foreign language, the man unexpectedly introduces himself with a Finnish first name.
Prank and German Julia live in Düsseldorf and are now on a competition trip in Pirka’s old hometown.
The surprise becomes even more powerful when Pirkka and the cameraman of this story Jussi Saarinen discover that they are old classmates from twenty years ago.
– Zero clueJulia states when she sees Rantanen’s face: no idea.
– It’s Mikko Rantanen, Pirkka knows.
– ShitJulia cheers up when she realizes that even Finland’s biggest star should have known after seeing fan shirts in town with Rantanen’s name on them.
Määtä’s picture causes serious reflection. Julia suggests that it is a Swedish player.
– It’s not when the t-shirt says Leijonat, Pirkka corrects and suggests Jere from Salli.
It went wrong, but the hint of two Stanley Cup championships helps again and Pirkka erases the name Määtt from her memory.
He knows that Rantanen won the Stanley Cup last season and the youth world championship in 2016.
– Rantanen is Finland’s current golden generation.
Pirkka also remembers that Määttä won his championship in the ranks of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
– Finland is the runner-up just like in Eurovision, Julia guesses.
– I hope that Finland and Germany will play in the final, Pirkka says.
– And Finland wins.
Old homeland
Erkki and Kaija have become accustomed to the colors of Finland, down to Erkki’s mustache. Jussi Saarinen
Dressed in rich Suomi and Leijonat gear and attracting attention with their handsome headdresses Erkki and Kaija say that they came to the Games from Sweden, where they have lived “for a total of one hundred years”. The current seat is Strängnäs, west of Stockholm.
However, the roots are deep in Finland.
– I was already here at the first Tampere Games in 1965, Erkki says.
– Isn’t this A pesoKaija suggests Rantase.
– It’s not Pesonen, but I always get names mixed up. Mikko… what’s that last name, Erkki insists.
– Rantanen, Kaija completes the correct name found through cooperation.
– This is Määttä again, Erki’s answer comes as if from a pharmacy shelf.
– In the morning, when we arrived on the ship, I saw Määtä’s interview on TV. That’s why I recognized.
Kaija knows that Rantase is expected to do “the same as always” – i.e. the result.
– It will probably come in the end games.
The couple does not release any additional information about Määtä, but Kaija describes Ranta, whom Erki recognizes as an NHL player, as a “world-famous man”.
They predict that Finland will finish in the medals. Erki’s bronze bet turns into a gold medal in Kaija’s estimation.
Lions have a challenging time
Ule and Lu got a nut to crack. Jussi Saarinen
A German father-daughter duo enjoys a soft drink in the central market Get out and Lu. They are from Berlin, and the faces in the pictures don’t light any bulbs in their minds.
– Are they German players, Ule wonders.
They are not, and even revealing the names or talking about the Stanley Cup championships does not evoke any kind of images in the minds of Ule and Lu.
– We have never heard of them, Ule says a little regretfully.
– We only follow the German DEL league.
Ule says that he saw the Lions’ game on TV, and it didn’t convince him.
– I think it will be difficult for Finland to win this time. However, I believe it will stretch to the bronze medals. Germany, on the other hand, seems to fall in the quarter-finals, he guesses.
Academy hockey
Antti and Sini came to the games from Helsinki. Jussi Saarinen
Helsinki residents are the last to participate in the survey Sine and Anttiwho, unlike the other participants in the survey, are not wearing any clothing or other props related to the World Cup or hockey.
– This is easy: Mikko Rantanen, Sini still says.
– I completely agree. And then there is Olli Määttä, Antti states without a trace of hesitation.
It turns out that Sini and Antti are also in Tampere watching the games.
And what do you know about Rantase and Määtä?
– Well… I run a summer camp with that other gentleman in Tikkurila, the Rantanen Academy, Antti surprises.
Oops! It just happened to fit.
– I am one of the founding members and I am on the board of the Mikko Rantanen Academy, he elaborates.
The information about Rantase is obviously complete, so let’s move on to Määtta.
– Well, now you’ve made a mistake, Sini laughs.
– Isn’t that a two-time Stanley Cup winner, Antti knows.
Sini and Antti believe that the Lions will win the second World Cup home gold in a row.