Djurgården fell 5-2 against Timrå despite returning William Eklund making his first match after returning from the NHL club San Jose where he started the season with four assists in nine games.
Now he is back to help Djurgården up from the qualifiers. The disappointment of having to leave the NHL and go back to the SHL released pretty quickly.
– It probably only took one or two days to try to investigate himself. After that, it was just to “turn on” and do it as well as I can here in Djurgården, says Eklund.
And it started well in the comeback, even though Timrå scored the first goal.
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Eklund then offered a show when he served his teammate Ludvig Rensfeldt to 2-1.
– I think we as a team start well, then I do not know what happens after the 2-1 goal. We will have to file for that in the next match, says Eklund after the 5-2 loss against the last team Timrå.
– I think we were alert in the beginning and get 2-1 with us. Then we start making mistakes that are a bit unnecessary and that unfortunately punishes us today. We must minimize those mistakes until the next match.
What do you say about your chain with Rensfeldt and Marcus Sörensen?
– I think we have situations ahead today. I think we should have more tubs and think we deserve it. We can only hope that it comes on Saturday (against Linköping).
What was it like being back at the Court (5,940 spectators)?
– The audience always offers dancing. They earned more today than we offered. I am most disappointed for them, says Eklund.
Assistant Timrå coach Anders Karlsson and Djurgård coach Mikael Aaro after Timrå’s 5-2 win at Hovet. Photo: Mattias Ek / HockeyNews.se.
Djurgård coach Mikael Aaro was also disappointed after the 5-2 loss.
– We come out perfectly okay and I think we play the first part quite well and create a lot of situations and actually some hot after 2-1. Then everything falls apart and we put no pride in playing defensive games. It will be far too simple goal chances and I do not think we take the responsibility we need to do and in the situation we are in we must take greater responsibility than we do today, says Aaro.
William Eklund is aware of Djurgården’s precarious situation and table situation.
– Of course you feel disappointed, but at the same time as a team we have to examine ourselves and come out strong on Saturday. We have to start winning matches.
And Eklund agrees that Djurgården’s defense job must get better.
– Yes, I agree with what Aaro says. We make some mistakes that punish us unfortunately.
In the match against Timrå, many of the previously injured players were back. But defender Marcus Högström broke the match after seven changes and barely four minutes of ice time.
– I have not had time to talk about it. There was full focus on those who played the match clearly, so we will have to look at it afterwards. He stepped down and I have to focus on the other six who are left, says Mikael Aaro about Högström’s status.
You say that players do not take pride in playing defensive games – how can it be that they do not?
– It is as I say if I had the answer I would have taken it at once. We have worked on it and we are many times in position but do not want to work clearly. It is up to us to fix it, it is my and “Falken’s” (Nichlas Falks) responsibility, says Mikael Aaro.
How was the talk after the first period (disadvantage 2–4)?
– Of course we have to evaluate what happens, but at the same time we can not lie down and die after a period either because we let in goals. We have to get up because there are 40 minutes left and try to find ways back.
What do you think of William Eklund’s comeback?
– He does well, contributes a lot in the offensive. Want a lot, you see. He will be important to us in the long run. Definitely an injection.
How do you look at Paul Careys (3 goals, 5 assists in 19 games) and Peter Hollands (three assists in seven games) this fall?
– It feels like there will be a lot of focus on our transatlantic players. They try to do good things out on the ice every day. It feels like everyone is doing their best and we will have to work even harder to get the most out of all players. That’s it, says Aaro.
Timrå coach Anders Karlsson had all the more to enjoy this evening and also had many to praise.
– I think that (goalkeeper) Jacob Johansson is fantastically stable throughout the match, perhaps the first goal. He makes a really good match. Tim Erixon on the slopes shows a lot of routine. He starts to let go a bit and shows what a smart player he is. Erik Andersson makes his best match as center today. There are many good receipts that we get today, says Karlsson.
