Tuesday's win for Lulea Hockey in Rauma was big for a number of reasons. They broke a six-game losing streak and now take a three-goal lead into the home half of their series with Lukko. Individually, snake-bitten winger Lennart Petrell recorded two assists.
by Miro Perhe
RAUMA – Lulea Hockey trailed early on the road against Lukko Rauma but came back with three straight goals to lead 3–1 after one period, eventually winning 5–2. The first two of those goals were assisted by 30-year-old winger Lennart Petrell, a Helsinki native who is playing his first season in Sweden. A product of IFK Helsinki, Petrell has also played overseas in the NHL and AHL, as well as in Switzerland with Geneve-Servette.
Lennart only has three points after 26 SHL games, and in fact the entire Lulea team has been struggling, entering Tuesday's game with six straight losses. He spoke about both situations afterward.
Your team has struggled lately but this was a convincing victory on the road. What's the reason for that?
We played a very tough game defensively. Lukko got a couple of scoring chances in the first period, but we had the game under control. Of course, the first period could have ended in favour of either team. It was important that we got success and some self-confidence. We have struggled with scoring and today it worked.
With the team's struggles in the SHL, how is it to suddenly have a CHL playoff game?
In a way it’s easier to go play in the CHL. This is a break from the routine, after all. We have played poorly lately and haven't been winning. It’s good to change things up a bit and play against a little bit different type of team.
You've also been in a bit of a scoring slump recently but had two assists today. What was working for you?
Do some good things and hard work rewards you. I've been working the same way in the SHL also but I've had some kind of mental block on me. I believe that it’s gonna open now. Keep in mind, though, my game isn’t based on scoring points. I can play well even if I don’t score points. If I play well for a long period of time, the points will come on their own.
You played two years in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers from 2011 to 2013. Do you think you've come back to Europe a different type of player?
I think I’m a more well-rounded player than I was before going to the NHL. Of course you will progress when you play every day against the best players in the world. Maybe I have specialized more to the defensive game and shorthanded situations. I want to be that player who the coach can trust and put on the ice in any situation – it doesn’t matter if we're leading or trailing.
Now going home with a three-goal lead, do you feel the pressure's off a little bit?
This series is not over. We had the same kind of situation in Salzburg. We trailed by, I think, five or six goals against Red Bull in the second leg – I don’t exactly remember. That was mission impossible for us, but somehow we survived.