Skellefteå AIK end their first week back in the Champions Hockey League with a 1-1 record. Having surrendered 5 goals in their first match against HC Lugano, the Swedes came into their match against Eisbären Berlin with a chip on their shoulder.
After 60 minutes of play, the visitors left the Mercedes-Benz Arena with three points and Skellefteå’s Rickard Hugg is ready to, “go home, prepare and be ready for next week.”
Hugg is playing in his third season with the club, and this is his second stint in the CHL. The 22-year-old has been a bright spot for Skellefteå, and last night potted two tallies en route to a 5-3 win over Berlin. But their start, Hugg admits, wasn’t up to their standards.
“Our passing game wasn’t the best. I think we made it a bit too difficult for ourselves some times.”
"Going into the third period we talked in the locker room about settling down a little bit and taking it easy.”Skellefteå AIK's Rickard Hugg on how his team prepared for their third period of play.
Self-inflicted wounds notwithstanding, Hugg went on to identify what makes his team dangerous when they’re on their game.
“We are a better team when we get the puck deep. Move the puck around a lot in the offensive zone. Instead of going back and forth all the time, like switching play. That’s not the game we want to play.”
With the puck deep in their zone last night, it would be Hugg who would drive in the first one off a fortunate bounce to cut Berlin’s lead to one.
As the puck dropped for period three, Skellefteå were still chasing the lead. For Hugg, one of the keys to staying in the game was staying relaxed.
“Going into the third period we talked in the locker room to settle down a little bit, take it easy.”
Keeping their composure paid off as the Swedes ended up scoring three unanswered goals in the third and securing three points.
“I think we came together in the third period. Showed some character and got the three points.” He went on to add, “and it feels great for sure to leave with three points.”
Heading home with something is better than nothing.
“Obviously we wanted to come here and bring home all six points, but we’re happy with three. We gotta take it back home now and see what we can do in our home rink,” Hugg explained.
Returning to Sweden, Hugg is excited to host Berlin and HC Lugano come next week because by now, Skellefteå have played both teams and are aware of how they must prepare to ensure they collect as many points as possible on home ice.
“We already played these guys once so we’ll learn a little bit more about them. I think especially against Lugano, their gameplan didn’t fit us at all, and I think that’s something we need to work on for sure.”
"I think we came together in the third period. Showed some character and got the three points."Hugg applauds his team's third period effort.
Berlin is no different, according to Hugg: “Same with Berlin, Berlin are a good team, but we know a little bit more about them. Always nice to play the second game, when you know how they want to play and what they want to do.”
After a disappointing first game which, Hugg confesses, “[we] weren't happy with it at all,” his club had something to prove and their bounce back win against Berlin was indicative of just how formidable, when they play to their strengths, Skellefteå can be in the CHL.