"A mixture of nervousness and anticipation".
This is how Sam Hallam describes the feelings before the Tre Kronor debut in Ceske Budejovice in the southern Czech Republic.
On Monday, the team gathered and he is happy with what he has gotten out of the days since then.
- We have used evenings to study numbers, names and units.
We have a plan for how we want to match the team.
We try to be as prepared as we can be, he says and continues:
- If you look at the training sessions, it really feels like we have tried to implement what we have talked about.
Then it's a completely different thing to do it in an empty Hovet compared to away in the Czech Republic.
Troubled trip to the Czech Republic
The trip to the Czech Republic was a bit complicated with a delayed plane and lost luggage.
But the most important thing, the players' equipment, came through and therefore Hallam does not think it has affected the team negatively.
- We had dinner last night and slept well.
It's me and a few others who are missing our bags, but it can probably be arranged during the day, says the union captain.
Team captain Linus Johansson believes that whoever wants the most will win the first match in the Karjala Tournament.
- Full arena, slightly smaller rink and some new stuff we've talked about.
It will be hard and tough.
It will probably be a setup war and whoever drives the hardest will win.
Full-back Oscar Engsund, on weekdays in Luleå, points to the special nature of playing a first match with the new national team captain.
- Everyone wants to show their utmost and do their best.
I definitely think some are nervous.
Just try to let it go and do your best.
The match against the Czech Republic will be played tonight at 18.30.
Then the Karjala Tournament continues in Turku, Finland, with matches against Switzerland and Finland.