Södertälje SK fell 1-2 to IK Oskarshamn on Friday, marking their sixth loss in seven games. The only goal for SSK came from a deflected shot by Filip Engarås. Post-game, SSK coach Andreas Johansson criticized the home team's timekeeping.
In a tightly contested match in Oskarshamn, Södertälje SK struggled offensively, managing just one goal in a 1-2 defeat to IK Oskarshamn. The lone SSK tally occurred when Filip Engarås fired a shot that was deflected by an opponent into the net. SSK appeared outplayed in stretches but improved later, including a five-minute power play that yielded no goals. Oskarshamn, appearing more composed, secured the win and climbed into the top six standings.
SSK remains 12th in the table after 14 games, with the team showing signs of inconsistency. Forward Mitch Lewandowski returned to the lineup after three games on the bench, joining Karl Sterner and Filip Engarås in the fourth line, but saw limited ice time of just over seven minutes. The chain struggled to contribute offensively or defensively. SSK was without injured forward Henrik Eriksson.
Oskarshamn welcomed back defenseman Marc-Olivier Duquette after three missed games and forward Lukas Vesterlund after four, though Linus Nyman was absent from the lineup.
After the final buzzer, SSK head coach Andreas Johansson voiced frustration over the game's clock management. "Kolla sekretariatet som tog fyra sekunder på klockan på sista tekningen. Jag förstår inte hur det kan hända i en elitverksamhet. Att en liga ens kan tillåta att det händer? Fyra sekunder låter de klockan gå och ingen reagerar. Men Oskarshamn, det är rappakalja här," Johansson said in an interview on TV4, as reported by Expressen.
Oskarshamn's clock operator, Daniel Johansson, strongly rebutted the claim. "Jag tycker det är jävligt lågt. Jag tycker att det är fruktansvärt lågt av honom," he told Expressen, explaining tight communication with the league's situations room prevents such errors.
HockeyNews columnist Andreas Hanson suggested trading underperforming imports like Lewandowski and Nyman between the teams, noting both earn similar salaries and face similar challenges without much to lose.