The match was exciting for a few minutes before Växjö grabbed the baton. Fullback Zack Giuttarri’s first goal in Växjö’s jersey can be described as an autumn leaf that fell behind Oskarshamn’s goalkeeper Emil Kruse. 47 seconds later, Marcus Sylvegård increased the score to 2–0.
— I think we play well. We are on them in the offensive zone, said Sylvegård to TV4 Play.
In the final stage of the period, Tobias Rieder increased to 3–0. Lead-heavy of course for Oskarshamn, who as recently as Thursday lost a clear lead to a clear loss at home against Linköping.
— We have nothing to lose, we cannot end up further down than we already are. Try to get the feeling that we have everything to win, that’s what matters now, said Oskarshamn’s forward Johannes Salmonsson, who made a comeback after a long injury absence, in a break interview with TV4 Play.
At the beginning of the second period, Växjö played the power play and looked to be on the way to further expansion. But instead Oskarshamn’s Lukas Jasek got hold of the puck and reduced.
Match penalty
There were increasingly heated feelings out on the ice. Jasek incurred a match penalty and Joachim Blichfeld and Joel Persson scored for Växjö.
The evening’s final period had barely started before Blichfeld scored Växjö’s sixth goal of the evening. Martin Lundberg led off the seventh. The eight came after klap klap play with Robert Rosén as the last player on the puck. Gabriel Carlsson then determined the final result.
Three national team players
Växjö spends the season’s first national team break in the top tier of the SHL table, while Oskarshamn’s position at the bottom looks increasingly precarious.
Joel Persson and Marcus Sylvegård in Växjö and Oskarshamn’s Patrik Karlkvist will represent Tre Kronor in next week’s Karjala tournament.