Jan. 23, 2019, was a typical day for me. I hopped on the bus in Big Rapids, and I couldn’t wait to see where I would end up. I could hear my friends talking about the loud and passionate student section. It gets me excited. After a few hours, we got to the Mackinac Bridge, and I sent a video of the view to my parents back home. We make a quick stop to grab some food. Once we continue driving again, it was time for me to take a much-needed nap.

Three hours later I woke up. We arrived at the rink, so I grabbed my gear and head on the ice for practice. Just a light skate to get the legs going again after a long bus ride. Then it’s time to head to the hotel in downtown Houghton. I left my duffel bag in the room and head out again.

I was by myself, per usual. I love walking around towns that are new to me, trying to find places to grab a coffee. Luckily, Cyberia Café was open, and I was able to what I came for.

I woke up the next day and I decided to go for a walk, again. I ended up walking to this old-looking hockey rink behind our hotel. I read the sign outside and I was immediately dazzled. Dee Stadium and its history reminded me of my hometown in Finland, Tampere. That’s where the first indoor hockey rink in Finland was built in 1965.

Naturally, the next stop for me is Suomi Restaurant. It was gameday for me, but I still ordered some pancakes. I started feeling like home again, as the Finnish-style décor grabs my attention for several minutes. Unfortunately, that’s all I got to experience in Houghton.

Well, I did get to experience the amazing student section as well. One of the coolest atmospheres in college hockey for sure. Oh, and in case you were wondering, we managed to beat Tech on Saturday after a disappointing loss on Friday.

Houghton is definitely one of my favorite places to play and visit. The biggest reason for this is that it reminds me of home. I was aware of the Finnish culture in the U.P., thanks to the history classes back home. However, it was fascinating to see that with my own eyes.

As a hockey player, I was extremely impressed how important hockey seems to be in Houghton. That is the same exact way it is in Finland, especially this time of the year, while the IIHF World Championships are currently underway in Latvia. Finland is the reigning champion, obviously. World Championships are one of the main sporting events of the year for many Finns. To give you some perspective, games can have the audience that gets close to 2.5 million. That’s quite a lot, considering the fact that Finland only has 5.5 million people.

Sometimes, hockey can affect and change the whole nation. That’s what happened in 1995, when Finland won its first gold medal in the World Championships.

After years of disappointments and falling short of the finish line, Finland was finally able to beat Sweden, our lovely neighbor. To top it off, this 4-1 win took place in front of Sweden’s home crowd in Stockholm. To add a little more salt in the wound, Finland had a Swedish head coach, Curt Lindström, who pretty much became a national hero.

Finns tend to be quiet and preserved people. Privacy is highly valued, and everyone minds their own business. Especially during the 90s and the bad depression. Times were not great, but that one single hockey game changed it all. The whole country came together and celebrated. People were hugging strangers on the streets and swimming in fountains. It was truly unheard of. Finland even “stole” Sweden’s official anthem, Den Glider In, they had made for the tournament. It became one of the most popular songs in Finland. Winning the gold medal made Finland a hockey crazy nation. Suddenly, hockey rinks were built in every small village and kids played everywhere. Finns still haven’t forgot this iconic championship. “95,” a movie that is based on these events, was released in 2017 and it became insanely popular.

To me, Houghton is Finland in a nutshell, or at least that’s the impression I have after two visits. I can see Finnish last names everywhere, which is funny to me. People are proud of their heritage and culture, as they should. Hockey is a passion for many people, especially students. You can’t help but admire fans who travel all the way to Huntsville, Alabama, to support their team.

Nov. 26, 2021, is already marked in my calendar. That’s when I get to hop on the bus again and visit Houghton again. Hopefully, in addition to a pair of wins, I will get to see even more of what Houghton has to offer. In the meanwhile, I’ll be enjoying the beautiful Finnish summer and sharing some stories with you guys.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Roni Salmenkangas is a student athlete at Ferris State University, majoring in sports communication. For the most part, Roni’s stories focus on Finnish culture and people. He is completing his internship from Tampere, Finland.