I’d barely returned from Budapest before it was time to head off to Sweden for work. Lulea had a couple of hockey games in the week that I was there and the first was a Champions League game against Czech team Kometa Brno.
It had been snowing heavily on the day of the game and it was a slippery walk from our hotel to the Norrbotten Arena. We had time for some pre-match food at a Thai place across the road before heading inside for a pint.
I’d selected seats low down this time and we were two rows from the action. Directly behind the wags. The Czech side took the lead a couple of minutes in and held it until the end of the first period. That was the cue for us to head for the bar and a second beer. I like the flow of a hockey game which is beer, hockey, beer, hockey, beer, hockey and then an optional post-game pint.
The eighteen minute breaks between play work well, especially since the fellas working the bar are on the ball. It’s a world apart from trying to get a quick pint at the Riverside.
Lulea equalized early in the second period and then rattled in a further five goals in the third. The Czech keeper had done well, but once the second goal went in he got hooked and the away defence fell apart. I didn’t realise at the time, but it was a two-legged tie and I was baffled as to why Brno didn’t keep it tight and settle for a one or two goal deficit going into the return leg at their place.
On the way out I picked up a woollen bobble hat for the walk back to the hotel and a tiny Lulea shirt for the youngest grandson.
Tags: Lulea hockey
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