The qualifying series for the J20 National is usually quiet for the SHL teams. But since Oskarshamn lost its SHL place yesterday, the junior team is now also in a bad place.
The SHL teams cannot leave the J20 National. Something that means that the qualifying series, which most often contains one or a couple of SHL teams, is most important for the hockey Allsvenskan teams.
This year, it is mainly Västerås and Björklöven that are playing with a knife to the throat…
and then IK Oskarshamn also goes. After losing game seven against HV71 yesterday, the J20 team is now also in a very bad place in the qualifying series. On Saturday, they played against the neighbors Tyresö/Hanviken, and then got a big hit.
The final score was 7-3 after a run in the third period.
Björklöven has a substantial lead
Hanviken had not won a match before today’s meeting, and Oskarshamn is now two points up on Björklöven, who is second, but then Umeålaget also has played two fewer matches.
Oskarshamn have taken four points in as many games as the qualifying series has reached the halfway mark for them. Now, by all accounts, it will be required to win the rest of the matches to stay in the J20 National. Last year, Oskarshamn came last in the qualifying series, but stayed there thanks to their SHL place.
To now also lose the place in the J20 National would be an even harder blow for the club. Playing in the national league makes it much easier to attract talent to the club in the longer term.
