Färjestad’s season ended in the quarter-finals.
But now the team is hugely praised – for the nice words to rival Joel Lundqvist.
– He is one of the biggest we’ve had, says team captain Linus Johansson in C More.
It was a gas-hugging quarter-final series between Frölunda and Färjestad in the SM play-offs. Many supporters have called it the moral final, and although expectations were sky high beforehand, no one was disappointed.
Frölunda winner
On Wednesday it was time for the seventh and decisive match, at Färjestad’s home ice in Karlstad. For Frölunda it was of course a sportingly important match, but for the team’s supporters the match was also special for other reasons. Earlier in the year, captain and loyal servant Joel Lundqvist announced that this season will be his last.
Had Frölunda lost the seventh and decisive match, Lundqvist would thus have played his last match ever. Lundqvist is classed as Frölunda’s – and one of the entire SHL’s – greatest ever, and it was also something that Färjestad pressed after the final whistle. Frölunda won the match and went on to the semi-finals, and despite Färjestad’s enormous disappointment afterwards, they showed fantastic respect for Lundqvist, whom they met for the very last time.
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Incredible tribute
When team captain Linus Johansson was interviewed by C More after the match, he suddenly chose to deliver a super tribute to his rival.
– I generally think that we are quite bad at giving respect in Swedish hockey to those who do a lot. So that Joel Lundqvist, a guy who has made Frölunda what they are, with some others. I have great, great respect for him, he says.
He then gets a question from Niklas Wikegård if Lundqvist has been a role model over the years.
– 100 percent. He had played in the SHL for many years before I even played in division one. I have seen him, followed him. He’s not the best skater, he doesn’t have the best technique, but he’s there all the time. I don’t like Frölunda, believe me, but Joel Lundqvist is really one of the greatest we’ve had, maybe the greatest we’ve had in the SHL, with Johan Davidsson and Jörgen Jönsson.
After the final whistle, even the Färjestad players, despite their disappointment, were careful to hug Lundqvist and congratulate him on a fantastic career. Tributes are now pouring in for the star on social media.
“Beautiful to say things like that right after you’ve been knocked out. Hats off, Linus!”, writes one user.
“Great by Linus, all credit to him! You will come again next season,” writes another.
“As a Frölunda supporter, you don’t immediately like Färjestad. Definitely don’t like Linus on the ice.
But this interview… ALL respect to Linus!”, writes a third.
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