Series final in SHL ice hockey. Then it would be tight, even and tight, said the advance tips.
Everything was different – and it started immediately.
After eleven seconds it was 1–0, after 40 it was extended to 2–0. The tearaway start laid the foundation for Färjestad’s 7–3 victory against normally defensively strong Luleå.
— Luleå is a good defensive team and we score seven goals. We are satisfied with that. We are doing a lot of good things and are off to a very good start. Great, said Joel Nyström to TV4.
“Good gut feeling”
Jonathan Andersson, the new acquisition from Luleå, started the scoring. He was then joined by fellow defenders Joel Nyström and Mattias Göransson in the goal tally before the first period was over.
Successful signing David Tomasek, who before the match extended his contract with Färjestad over the 2025-26 season, scored 4–0.
— I have a good gut feeling. It’s a great team and I’ve had a good start here. I didn’t want to overthink it. Now everything is in place and I can focus on hockey, Tomasek told TV4 about the contract extension.
When Victor Ejdsell played Axel Bergkvist to make it 5-0, Luleå’s Matteus Ward handed over the goalkeeper job to Joel Lassinantti, but then the match was more or less over.
— It’s fun to play hockey when you have self-confidence, when all four chains have it. It’s a nice feeling when many people find the internet, even if it’s not the usual Luleå we get to see, Ejdsell told TV4.
“Losing the concepts”
Luleå was the tightest in the SHL until the meeting with Färjestad, with 22 goals conceded in 14 games. It looked anything but stable in Karlstad.
— The start plays tricks on us. We lose the concepts and scatter in all directions, said coach Thomas Berglund to TV4.
The Färjestads players got sent off on a conveyor belt at the end of the middle period, but Luleå had so far desperately struggled to outwit the home goalkeeper Carl Lindbom.
— A really pale effort. We don’t handle the rough start. We should be ashamed. It is not approved straight across, said team captain Erik Gustafsson to TV4.
The goal celebration continued in the third period, where Luleå suddenly found the right three times. If Joel Nyström hadn’t scored his second goal of the evening to make it 6-1, it could even have been exciting.
Luleå came to the game without Mario Kempe, ill, and Jesper Sellgren, who has broken his thumb and will be out for up to four weeks.