Series winner Brynäs ended the basic series with four straight losses before starting the quarterfinals series in the best of seven matches in Gävle.
– We make a stable match and play well, it was fun. We were effective and maybe a little sloppy in the second period, says former Anaheim player Jakob Silfverberg, who played his first playoff match on Swedish soil since 2012, to TV4.
At the beginning of the third period, the match was decided.
Silfverberg: “He was here for my sake”
Jakob Silfverberg twisted the puck at the center circle and was able to get free passage against the Malmö target on the left. He looked up to consider a pass but shot between Daniel Marmenlind’s leg protection in decisive 4-1. It lowered Malmö.
– I try to do a look and it was nice to see the puck slip in, says Silfverberg, who had a supporter who traveled all the way from California at the stand.
– He was here for my sake, smiles Silfverberg.
Goalkeeping crisis in Malmö
In an earlier sequence, Marmenlind had been injured and clearly showed dissatisfaction with the fact that this was not obeyed by the judges. Immediately after the goal, Marmenlind was replaced by Oskar Blomgren. Previously, the first goalkeeper Marek Langhamer has been injured.
Malmö picked Blomgren early to try to reduce in game six against five but it ended in another goal in the back, 5-1.
– We will talk about details in our defense game, says Malmö’s coach Tomas will check for the continuation. He had no idea of the injured goalkeepers.
During the series game, the newcomer Brynäs won all four meetings with Malmö. Saturday’s second quarterfinals will also be played in Gävle.