Vikings balanced offensive attack surprising the league

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Coming into the season, the Stockholm Vikings were seen as a team that would compete with Davos for the third playoff spot in Europe, but almost halfway through the season, they are currently second in the conference and fourth overall in the standings. Currently second in the league in goals scored, the Vikings sit closer to first than they do to third.

 

With 3.16 goals per game, the Vikings trail only the Quebec City Meute, whose are at an incredible 4.16 per game mark. Perhaps the most interesting fact about Stockholm's offensive success is that their leading goal-scorer, Mario de Rossi, is tied for just 13th in goals at 16. The Vikings boast seven players with at least ten goals scored, including a three-way tie for second (with 14 goals) between Lord Karnage, Lloyd Light, and Teuvo Ruutu.

 

The rookies and sophomores for the team, which comprises most of the squad, have been impressive. De Rossi and Karnage are both rookies, as is backup netminder Jax Barnstormer, who has a 7-3 record with a 0.918 save percentage. Ruutu and Light are both in their second year along with Jack Kowalski, who has a team-leading 38 assists, slotting him at second in the league behind Quebec's Aksel Thomassen.

 

The Vikings schedule thus far has been easier than that of the Cologne Express, who were considered to be a pretty sure thing for second place in Europe, so they will find difficulty in keeping their place in the standings during the second half. With the threat of Davos still around as well, Stockholm knows they cannot become complacent even with impressive start.