The reigning champion team Växjö fell 1–4 away to Färjestad in the SHL premiere, but then took two straight three points against Malmö (5–3) and Oskarshamn (5–2).
Away against Rögle, however, Växjö was missing the quintet Dylan McLaughlin, Tobias Rieder, Hugo Gustafsson, Elias Rosén and Martin Lundberg.
It was noticeable. Rögle drove in practice over Växjö in the first period.
Great Rögle dominance
After barely five minutes, defender Michael Kapla scored the lead goal behind away goalkeeper Emil Larmi in numerical superiority.
After 11.39 it was extended when Rögle defender Adam Engström was able to point-blank the puck into the cross while the new acquisition Albin Sundsvik (Skellefteå) obscured Larmi.
It was the same way for most of the second act – just after 1.33, Brady Ferguson made it 3-0. Barely halfway into the period, Rögle led the shots with 16–2, but after 11.25 a tie was still scored.
The forward Marcus Sylvegård won the SC gold with Växjö in 2021 after the final victory against Rögle, but he has played the last two seasons in the parent club Malmö. Now he is back with the Småland men and in numerical superiority, the 24-year-old sent in the 1-3 reduction behind Petr Kvaca in the Röglemålet.
Sylvegård was not exactly happy during the period break.
— Piss, frankly. I don’t think we play with the puck, we just pass it to them. Very careless, says the Växjö player to TV4 Play.
Poor third period
In the second period, Växjö also had a puck in the post, but Rögle hit the frame twice again.
“You get to look at yourself in the mirror and reflect on what you do here,” says Marcus Sylvegård.
Växjö, however, could not lift the game in the third period, which had little chance on the whole. Rögle, who had taken four points in the first three rounds, won 3–1.