“Can’t for the life of me understand…”

Modo had the chance to secure play in the SHL – but lost.
Afterwards, they raced towards a verdict, and after the match they had a meeting with the hockey allsvenskan’s sporting director.
– I cannot for the life of me understand it, says sports director Henrik Gradin to Expressen.

There was hockey fever in Örnsköldsvik on Wednesday, when the venerable Modo had the chance to once again become an SHL team. A victory in the fifth game against Djurgården would have been enough, but the Stockholmers won the goal-rich event, thus forcing a sixth game in Stockholm tomorrow, Friday.

The great anger

And afterwards there were really upset faces in the Modo camp. When Djurgården led 5-2 in the match, Edvin Hammarlund cross-checked Modo’s Oscar Pettersson. Hammarlund himself thought he was sent off for five minutes, and Modo were sure it would be like that. But after a small conference on the ice, the referees decided that the penalty minutes would stop at two.

Afterwards, Modo was furious at the assessment.

– I think it is clear. I can’t for the life of me understand that they don’t take a five and call it. It’s unbelievable that eight eyes can miss it because they have a conference afterwards, says sports director Henrik Gradin to Expressen.

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“Can’t for the life of me understand…”

Djurgården received a lot of attention after calling the head referee after the first final match in the series. Now Henrik Gradin comes up with a suggestion that nagging and whining at the referees helps.

– You can immediately see what is happening and therefore I cannot understand how it is missed. We have kept a low profile and think it should be decided out on the ice, but putting pressure on the referees has proven to work. Djurgården has done that well, because they seem to be succeeding. I think it’s a terrible decision in that situation. We’ll have a five with us there. I didn’t think you would benefit from arguing and talking to the judges, but apparently, he says.

According to Expressen, Gradin, together with coach Mattias Karlin and hockey Allsvenskan sports director Erik Ryman, had a meeting after the match.

– We questioned that situation; What’s the matter?! That one gets you suspended three games in series play each time. It is a mockery of those who will be suspended if it happens like this, just because it is a final match. It is what it is. We have to take new steps on Friday, says Gradin.