After three years in North America, Johan Sundstrom is now right in the thick of an intense home-and-away battle between Frolunda and JYP. Frolunda earned a narrow win at home and now they meet again Thursday in Jyvaskyla.

by Efraim Larsson

GOTHENBURG – In 2012, 19-year-old centre Johan Sundstrom left Frolunda, the club he'd played for his whole life, to continue his hockey career in North America. He played mostly in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and even managed to play 11 NHL games with the New York Islanders in the 2013–14 season. This summer, at age 22, Sundstrom decided to come back.

Since his return to Frolunda, Sundstrom has played two games in the Champions Hockey League. The first was a big 9–1 win over the Sheffield Steelers, in which Sundstrom scored a goal. The second was a much tighter 3–2 win over JYP Jyvaskyla, in which the Indians needed a late power-play goal to win. The two teams face each other again on Friday in Jyvaskyla, and a single point by Frolunda will mean they win the head-to-head battle with JYP, and most likely Group N. A defeat by 2 goals or more would mean they finish second.

After Friday's win, he spoke about the game, the JYP club, and the Frolunda club he is returning to.

Johan, in the first period you came out and played incredibly well. What made you so good and what happened in the second period?

“I agree. To be honest, we really dominated the period. Especially the first 15 minutes, I think, where all four lines delivered with speed, finesse and with really high-quality passing. We have clear expectations and aims that all of the lines should be producing points offensively and contributing with sold defence, and the first period commitment from all of us really was great.

“Unfortunately we got trapped in their physical game style and they succeeded in cutting our intensity down in the second period. They had their little doing of post-whistle scrums and stuff and got the game where they wanted it in the second, but I think that we came back and were the overall better team in the third.”

What finally decided the game to your favour in the third period?

“We got that power play chance late in the third where Artturi Lehkonen released the slapper with a great shot that eventually became the winning goal and they didn't really had the energy or possibility to flip the coin again to tie it up. We created a lot of scoring chances in the game and possibly could've had slightly better scoring efficiency.”

You scored 2 goals on 7 power play chances against JYP. What do you think about your power play?

“I think we played really good and as you said we scored on two of the seven chances we got, which is a pretty good efficiency (28.57%, overall Frolunda are now at 38.89%). But they made it difficult. Even when we had a lot of puck possession in their defensive zone during the man advantages we had a hard time breaking their box due to their disciplined play. I assume they had a pretty high total of blocked shots in the stats because they were really good blocking the shooting lanes.”

So, after three seasons in North America you're back in Gothenburg. How does it feel?

“It feels just fantastic and I really love the guys on the team, we have great chemistry already. But it was a pretty big mental adjustment coming back after three years to find out that there's only three guys left from the roster I played with before I went to the AHL. So, I came back home just to be forced to get to learn 19 new guys?”