IK Oskarshamn
6–3
Visby/Roma HK

IK opened the HockeyAllsvenskan season with a 6–3 win over Visby/Roma. It was not a great 60-minute performance, but it was a much better opening-night answer than the poor dress rehearsal – and several of the players we wanted to see stepped forward immediately.

IK started poorly. Former IK forward Joakim Thelin nearly broke free after a Pontus Näsén mistake, but Näsén recovered. Joel Svensson then took an offensive-zone penalty. IK killed it and gradually took control, at times putting Visby under heavy pressure.

Svensson scored IK's first goal of the season. Hauled down on a breakaway, he took the penalty shot himself and slipped it through the five-hole. His explanation afterwards was wonderfully simple: “You shoot because there is a gap.” It was also his 100th HockeyAllsvenskan game. Of course an Oskarshamn player scored the first goal of the season.

After 1–0, however, IK became messy. Visby stayed in the game and Calle Karlsson made a costly mistake in IK's own power play as the visitors tied it 1–1. Shit happens. What mattered was his response.

IK ended the first period poorly and had to survive 22 seconds of three-on-five. Filiph Engsund was excellent there, while Emil Vuorio remained steady when IK's penalties created trouble.

The second period also came in waves, but IK regained control. Näsén – excellent defensively and suddenly far more willing to shoot – ripped 2–1 into the top corner. Olle Karlsson assisted for a point in his IK debut.

Then came one of the best stories of the night. Calle Karlsson shook off his earlier mistake, improved as the game went on and scored 3–1 from Matt Brown. His first-ever HockeyAllsvenskan game. At home. A goal immediately.

Filiph Engsund made it 4–1 on the power play. That meant Joel Svensson, Calle Karlsson and Engsund – three Oskarshamn players – had all scored. Only the injured Manuel Ågren was missing from the local collection.

The third period was more transport than hockey party. Visby scored on the power play and later got closer with the goalie pulled, but IK never lost the game. Axel Björnkvist and Ville Svensson completed the scoring for 6–3.

Axel Elofsson deserves a mention too. Against this opposition he was dominant at times. Vuorio had a good opener, and Näsén's combination of strong defensive play and increased shooting is exactly what Oskarshamn wants to see.

The Americans were quieter. Brown was the liveliest and picked up an assist. Danny Dzhaniyev, though, was far too invisible. We hoped the flip-flops would come off once the real season started. They still looked firmly attached.

Bad dress rehearsal, good premiere? Not quite – but the phrase works better than it did yesterday. IK was not good for the full night. Its peaks were clearly higher than Visby's, the right players got going and the three points are in the bank.

Six goals. Three points. And if the table happens to show IK on top after opening night, we see no obvious reason to play any more games.