Sweden vs. Suomi | Function

Growing up in Sweden and Finland respectively, Jesper Bratt and Erik Haula’s national team were the Team.

The earliest memories of hockey rivalization, those that integrate deep into your bones and become core memory, are from the triumphs of Sweden and Suomi hockey teams.

These teams are what dreams are made of.

“When you grow up in Finland, you grow up and dream of wearing that jersey,” Haula said. “You are growing up and dreaming of playing for your country. It is far picked up for everyone to think of NHL. It’s so far away; it’s a whole other world. It’s a goal, determined, but it seems more realistic that think of playing for Finland, for your country.

Pulling the national team jersey over their heads fills them with pride. It runs deep.

But then things emerge a notch where the blood pumps through their veins when they know an international tournament like 4 Nations Face-off see each other’s biggest rival on the other side of the ice.

Finland versus Sweden. (It is in alphabetical order; there is no one to take pages here!).

It doesn’t get bigger than that.

“It’s such a big rivalry, from deep down, from so many years,” said Bratt. “In us, when you think of the biggest rivalry in sports (with Canada), that’s what we have in Sweden (with Finland). All the big, big tournaments for us have always been the national stroke. It has always been against Finland.

“It’s a rivalry dating back to the Middle Ages, largely,” said the Swedish Forward Filip Forsberg, who plays for Nashville Predators.

“Overall, I would say it’s a kind of brotherly love and hatred where ‘hatred’ is a strong word, so take it the right way,” said Sweden -coach Sam Hallam on Thursday. “But you want to beat your brother, that’s it.”

The two countries share a boundary that runs through the bay of the Botnia and the Tornio River. Sweden has a larger population over 10.5 million, while Finland has half of it, just over 5.5 million. However, the rivalry feels right on both sides.

“That’s what you grow up with,” Haula said. “You grow up knowing that you don’t like Sweden. It’s a bit religious; on both sides they don’t like us, we don’t like them. It’s to boast rights. It’s like US-canada.”

It doesn’t matter if it’s a 4 Nations game, a World Cup game, an Olympic game or even an insignificant exhibition match. The rivalry is tough, the games are hard fought. Findosity is tangible.

As Hallamin explained to NHL.com: “There are also rivalries in the NHL. Rangers-Devils, Play Like That, it’s kind of the same thing. It doesn’t matter how things have gone for your team, or what happened the previous night, all that matters is the special game. But it’s on the ice. From the ice we respect the sketch out of each other. “

Ask any Swedish or Finn; They know exactly what is expected of them when they pull their national team jerseys.

“T team mentality, and I think it’s just the Swedish way we just accept our role the best way we can do,” shared Bratt. “I think we have the great chemistry together that we are all in this together, no one in the room thinks they are better than anyone else. We are all in this. “

Sweden is considered the favorite to win Saturday afternoon. But you can never discount the fins. The less of the two countries they dig deep into their hard work and blue collar attitude.

Something about their work ethics and attitude will prevent you from ever excluding them.

Haula, born in Pori, Finland, knows exactly why.

“It’s an identity that was formed long before I was here,” he promised. “It’s been led with and it’s a pride. Just lucky to be here and be part of this. We are a country with a lot of pride. We will work hard, be hard to play against. We know we have a good team.