Some comments on today's exhibition game vs. Denmark (5:1 win) in Rødovre:
Roster changes:
1st line: Patrik Zackrisson & Patrick Cehlin being healthy scratches. Dennis Everberg now playing with Fredrik Händemark (C) and Lias Andersson (RW). 2nd line: SHL-goalgetter Victor Olofsson (LW) manning the line with Färjestads' Rasmus Asplund (C), who played v solid on thursday, with Carl Klingberg being the RW. 3rd line: Linus Ölund centering Jacob Nilsson (LW) and top prospect Isac Lundeström (RW). Olle Liss and John Norman rotating in as surplus wingers. No changes in defense & goal (Magnus Hellberg).
The match, another one-sided affair.
Team Sweden this time being more forceful right from the start of the first period, not allowing Denmark to dictate the game in the beginning, like it had been the case on thursday. Lias Andersson the pivotal point of Sweden's 1st line, seeing the ice well & feeding great passes time and again - and being found by one of his teammates, scoring the go-ahead goal from a soft spot between the hashmarks. No two minutes later, and the Swedes go up 2:0 after Olle Liss' fine wrist shot from the right slot, using a defender as a screen. As if that wasn't enough, the Danish team (which played with Philip Larsen, Morten Madsen and Patrick Bjørkstrand today, but without top-winger Nicklas Jensen) had to suffer Jacob Nilsson's 3:0 after 12 minutes of play, and there was not much hope left among the 2663 spectators at Rødovre Arena that this game would make a different turn than thursday's encounter.
Second period saw Team Denmark coming out with more determination and good forechecking, and being finally rewarded with Thomas Spelling's 1:3 after a compelling attack by Denmark's 1st line with Peter Regin and Morten Madsen close to the end of the period.
Those who had thought that Karlsson's team would now be able to further narrow the gap were quickly knocked out of the skies, when Dennis Everberg scored the 4:1 after a nice break with Lias Andersson. Jacob Nilsson's second goal in the match sealed the deal for Team Sweden.
Best players on Swedens team today: Lias Andersson again. On whichever line you put him, he's going to make things happen. Imagine that guy on a line with William Nylander and Gabriel Landeskog - speed, power, creativity !
Also playing well: Mikael Wikstrand, a well-rounded defender... I get why Garpenlöv likes him. Much more visible this time: Victor Olofsson, who among other things rang the post in the second period. Moreover: John Norman, Olle Liss, and the centres Linus Ölund & Rasmus Asplund again.
