Photo: Bildbyrån
Frölunda got off to a flying start in the power play – and finished in the same style of play.
It gave the sixth straight SHL victory against Färjestad, 5–4 after extra time.
– We go home happy, says team captain Max Friberg.
It was one of those matches that everyone involved has a hard time summarizing. It swung back and forth, both game-wise and on the scoreboard. The players hardly knew what they had been through and the coaches were both satisfied and dissatisfied.
“Common scenario between us”
In literary prize times, one could perhaps say that it was hardly about any precise poetic ice hockey prose – but of course it was, sorry Roger Rönnbergentertaining (“It’s nice that the crowd is happy but I haven’t paid to watch the game; I’m getting paid to optimize my team”).
Frölunda’s team captain Max Friberg still tried to explain how it happened when coach Rönnbergs and his team defeated Färjestad after extra time. It went like that.
– It is difficult to get a grip on… We have strong periods, they have strong periods. Then we get a result. It is a common scenario between us.
Sixth in a row for Frölunda
Friberg could have added that it was a common result. With the victory, Frölunda is up to six consecutive SHL victories against Färjestad – from the seventh quarter-final in 2023 through four regular season cheers last season.
– It is clear that it is a strength to find ways to win matches, but it feels as if they have all been odd-goal matches. We have to put in everything we have to even have a chance to win, he says.
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Frölunda went 2–0 via two goals in the power play in the first period, where the visitors had a numerical advantage for nine minutes. Ferjestad’s Marian Studenic drew a match penalty when he elbowed Nicklas Lasuwho could not continue playing. Directly in the third period, Friberg made it 3–1 and then it spoke volumes for Frölunda.
Then Färjestad got off to a good start, equalized with two goals in 41 seconds and took the lead when Per Åslund scored his second goal of the evening to make it 4–3.
Tomas Mitell was disappointed
With 15 seconds left of regular time tied Philip Cederqvist to 4–4 behind a generous Damian Clara in Färjestad’s goal and when the home team incurred yet another expulsion could Dominik Egli decide in the extension.
Färjestad’s coach Tomas Mitell didn’t know which leg to stand on:
– You are colored by the result. We do very good things against Frölunda, who are a good team, but we manage to make it happen. A snowy end. I am satisfied with certain parts, but there are things to clean up, he says.
READ MORE: Roger Rönnberg reveals why he is leaving Frölunda: “Because…”
What a match we got to see between the two giants Färjestad and Frölunda, two really big clubs in Swedish hockey. Now the people of Gothenburg have obviously found a recipe for success to beat the Varmlanders.
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