TV: SEE EVERYTHING FROM SKELLEFTEÅ’S GOLDEN CELEBRATION ON TV4 PLAY.
Championship gold in the seasons 1978, 2013 and 2014. Since then there have been four Championship finals without gold (2015, 2016, 2018 and 2023). Now Skellefteå AIK can title themselves as Swedish champions again.
On Monday, Skellefteå AIK took on Rögle at home in Skellefteå Kraft Arena and the final continued to be goal-less, as it had been in previous matches in the series.
It took until the middle of the second period before the score was broken and it was once again Andreas Johnson who delivered. After Lian Bichsel’s expulsion, the Skellefteå star stepped forward and scored 1-0 for the home team.
Both teams’ special teams were matched extensively in the second period. Rögle killed two four minutes in a numerical disadvantage before the guests themselves had the chance to play the power play. But it was two fruitless minutes for Rögle.
– It was fun to put it there. We have patience in the game and are accurate, said the goalscorer after two periods played.
Rögle’s Simon Ryfors was not satisfied with Rögle’s performance in the first 40 minutes:
– I’m disappointed. We’ve had this damn energy all playoff, but I don’t know where it is today. We fight but it doesn’t click, this match is clearly our worst this playoff, he told TV4.
Early in the third period, Rögle went on another expulsion. Dennis Everberg lost his temper and cross-checked Måns Forsfjäll over the hands and received a two-minute penalty for it. The pair of referees were out reviewing the situation for a match penalty. Forsfjäll went straight out to the dressing room for treatment.
Rögle coped with a game in numerical disadvantage again but it took just under two minutes before Skellefteå got another chance in the power play after Simon Ryfors was brusque in his handling of Martins Dzierkals after a whistle.
– It is extremely stupid of Rögle, commented TV4’s expert, Niklas Wikegård.
But there was no further distribution in special teams. With two minutes left in the game, Christoffer Rifalk headed to the bench for a six-man game for Rögle. Max Lindholm was then able to break free and make it 2-0 for Skellefteå, which thus wins SM gold.
It is the first time that Skellefteå AIK has secured the gold at home.