It has become a habit for Skellefteå AIK to lose themselves in playoffs and often find ways to lose matches or match series they should have won – then often because the game idea did not have the impact they were looking for, did not give the desired result. On these occasions, questions have been raised about why AIK did not adapt to the match series. Questions like why it was more important to stick to their game idea than to let go of pride and do something new that the opposition does not have in their video reviews of AIK.
With several key players away in their own team and with a physically playing opposing team that came into the playoffs with everything to win, I therefore saw dangers in the match series against Linköping for AIK. There were mines to dodge and miscuts to take that could have cost a ticket to the semi-finals.
But it was all just eventualities. The dangers I saw were as much there as the ghost under the bed in young days.
For this edition of Skellefteå AIK has something previous editions do not have. There is a mentality that I have not seen in previous squads and leaders in this team that means that whatever obstacles you are faced with, you have the answers to them. Having all the questions answered is invaluable this time of year.
Jonathan Pudas borta? Esh, those minutes can be replaced by Elias Salomonsson.
Måns Forsfjäll injured the day before the first match? No worries, Tim Barkemo is ready to make his playoff debut.
Pär Lindholm injured just when Andreas Johnson can play again? It’s just a matter of re-washing the chains a little.
Completely played out by Linköping? Let them bloody themselves, we have the patience.
And “patience” is a word I get stuck on when I now look back at the match series that has just ended. If we remove Linus Söderström from the equation, it is precisely the patience that stood out in my eyes. In previous editions of AIK, I have seen a stress in matches where the game did not work, a greater or lesser amount of panic that spread when the basic plan could not be followed.
That’s where this edition stands out. In virtually all four games, Linköping has had the initiative in large parts of regular time and has been the team that leaned forward with the puck, and here it could have come naturally for AIK to feel offended by it. In Skellefteå, with the groundwater, they will want to play ice hockey with attacks as the only solution to everything.
Instead, AIK has given a blank fan in how the match images looked. It has not mattered if Linköping owned the match picture, nor has it been a problem that you were not allowed to play the way we have seen Skellefteå play ice hockey for a decade.
This edition doesn’t seem to care what it looks like now in the playoffs – they are instead looking for the best way to 12 wins and want to get there by being patient rather than playing.
It’s something I haven’t seen before and the fact that I don’t recognize Skellefteå AIK is probably the clearest sign that something is happening again.
I saw you
In conclusion, since this does not fit in any other text; I saw you, Skellefte supporters. I heard you too.
The away streak Skellefteå AIK had in these two matches is nothing short of impressive. Gathering power in the way we have seen in Saab arena in two straight games now, on two weekdays, is incredibly impressive. Just like Linus Söderström, you deserve five plus.