After HV71 and Oskarshamn each won a match in Jönköping, the match series turned to Oskarshamn on Wednesday.
Match three was initially an eventful and fast-paced story, but where the even result and perhaps the fact of what is at stake, became increasingly apparent the older the match got.
Zohorna first goalscorer
After a scoreless first period, both teams found the back of the net in the second. Hynek Zohorna poked in a rebound to make it 1-0, before the visitors were able to equalize through Oliver Kaski after a beautiful attack.
Also in the second period, the teams each got a puck. HV71 should have received all the more given what they created, but Oskarshamn’s goalkeeper on loan from Tingsryd, Tomas Rydén, was stable in the box.
Instead, the home side retook the lead when Austin Wagner finished off a lightning-quick conversion by finding a gap on the pick-hand side of Frederik Dichow.
Brännström took it to extra time
HV71 – who took just seven points away from home during the regular season – had to chase an equaliser. And it would come about three minutes from the end.
Tommi Tikka found Isac Brännström who was forgotten in front of the goal, poked the puck between Rydén’s legs and the game went to extra time.
Stål-Lyrenäs decided
Once there, it didn’t even take five minutes before the decision was made. Oskar Stål-Lyrenäs big match winner for HV71, who now lead the match series with 2-1.
– Incredibly nice. A relief to see the puck roll in. It’s the small details that matter. We don’t play a good game over 60 minutes, but somehow we manage to come back and decide in extra time so incredibly nice, says the match winner to SVT Sport.
Match four in this play out series will be played in Oskarshamn on Friday.