No Overtime!

Today, there was again no sun, but on the bright side, tonight, we finally completed our first game in Finland in regulation time.

The day was a typical game day. We got up for breakfast and a light 30 minute warm-up skate. After there was a little time to relax before lunch. Then a team meeting before getting on the bus to head back to Tampere to face Tappara at the site of the dramatic four goal comeback in our first game.

We arrived at the rink to an increasing press presence. I gave a newspaper and TV interview, as did our team captain, Wang Linou. Our presence in Finland and two dramatic wins have created a bit of buzz and interest from the local press. In Jyväskala, I spoke with a local reporter too, and have had one other request from a Vierumäki paper. After pictures, questions and TV, it was game time!

We finally started a game at our top speed and moving the puck well. We finished the first period with a 3-0 lead, including a nice looking power play goal and a great wrap around goal by third line center Gao Fu Jin (on right). Unfortunately, the team decided that their first period would allow them to sleep through the second period and we promptly gave back two goals before settling down to come out of the second still up 3-2. In the third we got ourselves going again and after a nice one timer by Zhang Ben and the first career goal by Huo Cui (the youngest player), we finished strong with a 5-2 win.

In the stands tonight the team found a group of friendly faces. A group of about seven Chinese graduate students had heard of our arrival in the paper and came out to cheer on the team. I spoke with them at the end of the game and one of them was even from Harbin. They all spoke very good English as well as Chinese and they were just starting to learn Finnish. They were very happy to get the chance to see the team and were very enthusiastic supporters, even starting a cheer a few times during the game. They took down our schedule and promised to come back for some of our future games.

So, we got back on the bus for the 2 hour 30 minute ride back to Vierumäki. Tomorrow we have the same schedule, except that we head back to Jyväskala for a rematch of the other overtime game.

Good night from Finland and Doctor Gao on the bus!