This Saturday, teams will compete for the honor of being the pick-up hockey players in Northern Finland. The event will take place between 10--18 on Niittyaro sports field in Oulu.
All players are welcome, but to take part in the fun players must be 18 years of age, provide their own ice skates, helmet, and hockey stick. Other equipment is allowed but not required. The contest features no fancy indoor ice rinks, team benches, or pristine ice. Keeping with tradition, the matches will be played outdoors in a relaxed, amateur spirit.
There are no goalkeepers in the tournament, each team fielding four skaters at a time with two substitutes aside. Matches consist of two 15-minute rounds.
Other tournaments are being held in Jyväskylä, Turku, and Espoo, and the winners will compete in the national finals on the sea ice in Helsinki on February 25th.