Head coach Trey Kronor verbally attacked the Lions. Jukka Jalonen was not impressed by his colleague’s claims.
Tampere
Tre Kronor head coach Sam Hallam strongly criticized Jukka Jalonen’s Legion in an interview with MTV Urheilu ahead of the Finland-Sweden match on Monday night.
We have to fill the wings because they don’t have a passing game. He just put the puck up. So we will stuff the wings strongly, Hallam told MTV Urhailu.
Hallam’s claim is harsh, having only been coaching Trey Croner in his first season. In recent years, the Lions have dominated the bowl of the competition, especially with their high-quality passing game and puck control.
Head coach Trey Kronor started a war of words against Legion. Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto / Lehtikuva
However, Jalonen was not even bothered by Hallam’s statement, but took it in stride after the Lions’ morning snow on Monday.
– I didn’t even hear. What is it about. I can’t tell if it’s a media game or what it is. It doesn’t matter, Jalonan said calmly.
Read more: The 58-year curse of lions – will it end today?
Sen Jalonen admitted that in this tournament the Lions have had to be content with moving the puck in mid-field through weightless side passes rather than passing in their own zone, as opponents put so much pressure on both of the Lions’ defenders.
– This doesn’t necessarily lead to puck control, but we get the puck in midfield, and the opponent’s attackers don’t get rewarded. I’d rather watch it than lose the puck.
Jukka Jalonen wasn’t fazed by the words of head coach Tre Kronor. Photo: OC Ahola/Amulehti
Jalonen praised Hallam for being more versatile and understanding than the team’s previous head coach, Johan Garpenlov, in Tre Kronor.
Sweden’s previous years games were poor. Sweden has been eliminated from the medal games in the last three tournaments.
Sweden is now playing at the kind of slow pace the game calls for. There are other rhythms too. Prior to this, Sweden moved more in a south-north direction. Now his game is more versatile, Jalonen said.
– Of course, this is my opinion, and Sweden is now more challenging, at least in terms of opponent. Of course, one may say that this is not so smart and that we should go this way and that way.
Lions and Sweden meet on Monday at 20:20.
