jääkiekkoa

Jääkiekkoa, or jääkiekko, is a fast-paced team sport played on an ice rink. Two teams of six players (five skaters and a goaltender) use hockey sticks to move a vulcanized rubber puck and try to score on the opponent’s net. The game is divided into three periods, usually 20 minutes each, with stoppages for goals, penalties, and other interruptions. The team with more goals wins.

Players wear skates and protective equipment, and the rink is surrounded by boards. Rules include offsides and icing, and various penalties result in power plays for the opposing team. Substitutions occur on the fly, and fast transitions between defense and attack are central to the game.

In Finland, hockey has a long tradition. The sport was introduced in the early 20th century and is governed nationally by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association (Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto). The premier domestic league for men is Liiga, with second-tier support in Mestis; women compete in Naisten Liiga. Finland also maintains strong youth systems and regional clubs that feed talent into higher levels of competition.

Internationally, Finland is a regular medal contender. The men’s national team, known as the Leijonat, competes in the World Championships and the Winter Olympics, and many Finnish players compete in the NHL and other major leagues around the world. Jääkiekkoa remains a central part of Finnish sport culture, with broad participation and enthusiastic spectator interest.