Which team would break the negative trend?
Both Malmö and Oskarshamn had two straight losses in the bag before the meeting between the teams in Skåne.
The answer was Oskarshamn.
Via 2–1 in the Malmö arena, the Småland players took their first three points of the season.
The team's other four victories have all come in overtime or after penalties.
East in points
Oskarshamn's first chain with Ahti Oksanen, Antti Suomela and Patrik Karlkvist have together accounted for 28 points during the preseason.
With eight complete hits, Karlkvist is at the top of the shooting league.
Away against Malmö, it was other players who showed the way initially.
Canadian Myles Powell accounted for 58 points last season for Västervik and HV71 in the Hockey Allsvenskan, but has gone scoreless in his new club during the SHL opening.
However, the first goal came against Malmö.
Barely six minutes into the second act, the 28-year-old scored 1-1 behind home goalkeeper Daniel Marmenlind.
- A fantastic pass by Brace (Cameron).
Of course it's nice to get the first goal completed, said Myles Powell to C More.
Barely two and a half minutes later, Ahti Oksanen put the visitors' lead up to 2–1.
The goal came in a free position after Oksanen blocked a shot in the defensive zone from Malmö back Markus Lauridsen.
"Playing into their hands"
- We play into their hands a little.
They get to play this scrappy hockey the way they want, said Johan Olofsson, who put Malmö up 1-0 just over three minutes into the second period.
The swinging hockey continued in the third period.
Both teams had chances to score, but it was Malmö who desperately needed to get a puck in to take the game to overtime.
With three minutes left, Marmenlind had to leave the goal in the home team's search for an equaliser, but playing six against five outfield players did not pay dividends.
Oskarshamn and goalkeeper Joe Cannata held off until a 2–1 victory.
Here you can see Thursday's episode of the magazine "Hockey evening".