After wrapping up things in Hershey, Axel Jonsson-Fjällby headed back home to Sweden on Wednesday.
Thursday night, the Capitals fifth-round draft pick made his season debut with his SHL team Djurgården. Back in his natural habitat, Jonsson-Fjällby didn’t need much time to remind his old home crowd why they loved him.
Axel Jonsson-Fjällby assisterar Jonathan Davidsson till 2-0. #SHL pic.twitter.com/IK0PCkoFtD
— Anton Johansson (@antonj85) November 15, 2018
Having spent most of the first period on the bench, with just a single shift at the end of the stanza, Jonsson-Fjällby immediately made an impact at the start of the second. After a scrum in front of the Djurgården goal, Jonathan Davidsson broke the puck loose. He fed Axel to his left and the winger showed off his speed, bursting away in a two-on-one. With a great pass, Jonsson-Fjällby found Davidsson who put the biscuit in the basket with ease.
The assist looked as good as Jonsson-Fjällby’s flowing hair.
Här har du assisten från Jonsson-Fjällby. pic.twitter.com/rLsLIsSpeD
— RoadLaker (@RoadLaker) November 15, 2018
Here’s a look at the hockey hug afterwards.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Djurgården Hockey (@difhockeyse) on
That goal made the game 2-0 early in the second, but Frölunda game back to tie it two-all before the intermission.
Djurgården lost former New Jersey Devils-forward Jacob Josefson to injury early in the game, which perhaps made coach Robert Ohlsson use Jonsson-Fjällby more than he had planned to do. He finished the game wtih 12:40 of icetime and recorded 2 hits, to company his assist.
Frölunda won the game 4-3 after a shootout.
Speaking to the television channel CMore after the game, Axel said he arrived in Sweden just hours before puck drop.
“The plane landed at noon and I headed right here to Hovet Stadium to sign some papers,” Jonsson-Fjällby said. “Then I went home to get some sleep. The coach didn’t want to use me in the first period, knowing I was a bit tired. But it worked out well.”
Heading into the game, Djurgården heavily promoted Jonsson-Fjällby’s return to the team.
Jaktsäsongen kan börja! Jonsson Fjällby flyger hem idag och om inte något oförutsett sker, som typ ett vulkanutbrott på Island, så kommer han att spela ikväll! Det finns fortfarande biljetter kvar i klacken. Köp biljetter så fyller vi Hovet ikväll! #säsongen1891 pic.twitter.com/n22g2npCaN
— Djurgården Hockey (@DIFHockeyse) November 15, 2018
“Let the hunting season begin! Jonsson-Fjällby flies home today and barring a volcano eruption, he will play tonight!”
Det stämmer!!! Vi går mot ett kokande tryck på Hovet. dryga 500 biljetter kvar – totalt. Du vet att du inte vill missa den här kvällen. jägarns återkomst på isen dessutom som en liten bonus. Boka din plats GENAST https://t.co/ykaptIsuGm ÄLSKA DIF💛 ❤️ 💙 pic.twitter.com/J8BrAe0xuP
— Djurgården Hockey (@DIFHockeyse) November 15, 2018
“That’s right! We’re heading towards a boiling Hovet Stadium. 500 tickets left. You don’t want to miss this game! As a bonus, [The Hunter] returns to the ice”.
View this post on InstagramGuess who's back, back again! Djurgården-Frölunda 19.00👍
A post shared by Djurgården Hockey (@difhockeyse) on
Headline photo: @difhockeyse
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