Spring is right around the corner, and with it comes the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
The tournament will take place from May 13 to 29 and will showcase the best of the best as incredible players strive to win the game. This year’s championship will be played in Finland in Helsinki and Tampere.
Fittingly, Finland is set to open the event with a Finland vs Norway bout.
A respected tournament
First held at the Summer Olympics in 1920, the Ice Hockey World Championship takes place every year.
It is run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), an organization created in 1908.
The event has its roots in the European Championship, which was ultimately replaced by the World Championship.
Interestingly, the ice hockey tournament in the Olympic Games was considered the World Championship from 1920 to 1968, with the Olympics taking the place of the tournament in the years when ice hockey was included in the games.
Today, the annual championships are held separately from the Olympics.
Where is the match being held?
The match between Finland and Norway will take place at the Tampere Deck Arena.
The new 13,300-seat arena will host a total of eight teams from May 13 to 14, as well as two quarter-final events – both of these are semi-finals and are medaled.
Finland will also host teams at its Helsinki arena.
The games with Group A, the teams performing in Helsinki, begin with a rousing match-up between Slovakia and ROC.
The match is expected to attract diehard fans to the country’s capital, many of which will likely be coming from Russia, which is just a three-hour train ride away.
Finland’s past World Championship performances
How exactly does Finland shape up?
The country’s players have won the tournament three times since the game’s inception – the wins occurred in 1995, 2011 and 2019.
While the 2020 championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team did quite well in 2021, winning a silver medal.
Given the country’s extended history and recent performance, the odds might just be in Finland’s favor.
However, before deciding, let’s take a look at Norway’s titles.
Norway’s past World Championship performances
Norway is no stranger to the Ice Hockey World Championship – they have sent teams to compete since 1937, when they finished ninth.
The country has yet to win a championship, though they do have impressive rankings despite this.
They have placed in the top 10 multiple times, though their performances in the years 2017 to 2021 have been less impressive.
With the 2022 tournament rapidly approaching, the time to make your predictions is coming.
Whether you decide to go with proven winner Finland or reliable competitor Norway, the game is sure to be an exciting experience for fans all around the world.
