Sam Hallam can sleep well tonight.
New national team captain Trey Kronor has made the best possible start to his mission:
To wash away the losing character.
On the fourth day he trailed.
Yes, in the first meeting with the Czech Republic in the Karjala tournament, three-time SM Golden Coach Sam Hallam finally managed to make his debut for his country, at the age of 43.
After assembling the team on Monday, and taking it out a week ago, Sam Hallam becomes aware that it is something else entirely to lead. three crowns from Växjö.
– You are more a sports director and a scout than a coach, as he himself said before the match.
Being very responsible and the face of one of Sweden’s most popular national teams also entails a completely different pressure.
On the other hand, opportunity could not have come at a better time.
Tre Kronor’s tournament result in recent years is nothing but flattery and it couldn’t get any worse.
Johann Garbenlov made history as the first Confederate leader who did not reach the top three at a world championship, or win a medal at the Olympics or Olympic Games.
The missed playoff at the 2021 World Cup was historically miserable, and with Sam Hallam at the helm, the national team must restore a tarnished reputation.
A change to remember
The starting shot of the trip went on the busy Budvar Square in Ceske Budejovice, a small town in the southern Czech Republic famous mainly for its ancient beer tradition.
How did it go?
Yes good thank you.
Hallam sent a squad full of only SHL players, including four starters, and the first half without goals could be considered a pass.
It was a sacrifice and solid, but the sharpness of the game with the disc was missing.
The second didn’t start much better, but shortly after play on the box was over, Andre Peterson suddenly discovered a free position.
The 32-year-old made a name for himself as a notorious goalscorer over his years in the English Premier League and clearly ended up, but he wasn’t satisfied there.
Hallam chose to keep him on the ice and after 40 seconds made it 2-0 at only speed, it was played well by Skellefteå Pär Lindholm.
A change that neither Salam nor Peterson will ever forget.
1 hour rest
Talking about defrosting.
The match was halted after a large piece of ice broke off near the edge shortly after Peterson’s weakness. It took nearly an hour before captain Linus Johansson finally raised his thumbs up alongside former Czech Republic’s Roman Cervenka after checking the ice.
When the disc was released again, the home team was even more hungry. Tre Kronor kept the locations without a disc, but it was useless when it got them back.
When Philipp Schlabeck broke Markus Hojberg’s goal right at the start of the third half, I was waiting for a tie.
Then Peterson stepped forward again.
Lindholm was responsible for another assist, but it was the clever reception of the HV striker that scored the entire goal.
Petersson kicked the disc forward with the wide left side before scraping the disc with the stick. All in the same motion that left goalkeeper Marek Langamer with no chance of lateral movement.
One of many leaders on the ice
He couldn’t stop smiling after his hat-trick and it’s easy to see why. A much-needed confidence boost for a striker who was only able to celebrate a single pointer through the dreary fall of the HV71.
Petersson is Jönköping’s co-captain and one of several target captains on the ice in Hallam’s squad, which includes ten players with captain assignments on their club teams. Three of them wear the letter C on their chest and then it must be remembered that the captain of the intended team, Anton Lander of Timra, was forced to withdraw his bid.
Another who showed himself from his best side was Olle Alsing. Leksandsbacken was noted to have helped take the win and seal the final score to 4-1.
We shouldn’t get much from the Karjala tournament. But Sam Hallam had a promising start to his most important mission:
To wash the loser Tre Kronor seal.