Oskarshamn thrashed defending champion Växjö 9-1, and I wonder if the Småland saga isn’t over yet.
Martin Filander’s successful team shouldn’t really be able to become an SHL team over time, but somehow they charmed and convinced us all.
I dare not judge them yet, but the end seems near.
Oscarshamn now enters the national team break with this huge, painful and almost embarrassing loss.
In addition, Rögle was responsible for the evening’s big blowout, when they turned around and won away to Luleå with two quick goals scored by Linus Sandin.
Scania’s first win away from home.
I wasn’t expecting that, especially when Linus Omark scored for the first time in over a month and a half.
But it was just another blow for Oscarshamn, who is now seven points behind Rögel, who is closest to the qualifying line.
He never survived in the “old” SHL.
I was low on judgment of Patric Karlqvist and Co. given what they have achieved in previous seasons.
I remember when they had a record sixteen straight losses this year, but they got a new contract.
Last year, one of the biggest surprises was that they ranked seventh.
That is why I and many others believed that the ingenuity of Martin Wilanders and sporting director Thomas Froberg would go a long way, when they now built and built new for the 51st time.
On the other side.
A small club like Oscarshamn has never survived more than one or maybe two seasons in the “old” SHL.
What existed before CMore started pouring millions into SHL hockey, which, with a Robin Hood mentality, decided to distribute the money evenly among the 14 clubs.
This meant that small clubs like Oskarshamn were able to build an elite squad almost exclusively with the help of TV money flowing into the account each season.
I was never a friend of this system.
It created unbalanced conditions
I think position of the table should give the top teams extra money and merit and history should be rewarded.
It’s a bit like a mix of the English Premier League and Formula 1.
It goes without saying that Oscarshamn attracts a much smaller television audience than clubs like Färjestad, Frölunda and Luleå.
Yet they get an equal share of the pie.
It creates deviant conditions.
Having said that, I have nothing against Oscarshamn as a club, which is run perfectly by a very knowledgeable management.
I belong to those who are charmed by the club’s aggressive and entertaining hockey and their frank honesty in success and adversity.
Martin Wilander was unable to escape at all after the blow to Faccio.
It honors him.
Was the SHL ranking more than a third higher on the season?
It is not possible.
Because it was not possible to move from ninth to second (Växjö), or from tenth to third (Linköping), which happened on Saturday before the national team’s break.
Everyone knows the ups and downs of hockey, but it has never fluctuated as much as the first third of the season.
Then I will immediately point out that the table is still curvy.
Example:
Tien Leksande has played one game less than runners-up Växjö and if we include the three-pointers, they are ahead of Småländers in the table.
It is only Färjestad that has sailed away, and despite dropping two points in the prestigious meeting with Frölunda, they are still six points behind second place.
But now I’m wondering how long this will last historically, although I’d love to see it continue throughout the season.
But is this even possible?
Sovereign League leaders Färjestad have a weak spot.
This is if the matches end in sudden death and thus penalties.
Just like against Frolunda on Saturday, when Nikcas Laso scored his second goal in extra time to lead Gothenburg to a 2-1 victory.
This was the Farmlanders’ fourth loss in overtime and penalty kicks.
Out of four possible.
It is his good fortune.
Otherwise they would have moved the schedule further than they already did.
But it was a solid place around Saturday’s concert in Scandinavia.
Sold out and a few thousand fans traveling from Karlstad.
It doesn’t get any better than this.