2012-03-21 23:00:00 | Teams

Set for the semis

Brynäs vs Färjestad and Skellefteå vs AIK. Those are the semi final series starting on Monday.

It all came down to the last 27 seconds of the thrid period in Scandinavium in Göteborg when Brynäs's Jonathan Granström equalized and forced overtime in the sixth game. Earlier that period, Fredrik Pettersson had missed a penalty when the home side was ahead, 3 goals to 1. But Brynäs fought back and when Jakob Silfverberg's shot bounced off the back on goalkeeper Frederik Andersen and across the line 04:23 into the overtime, the team from Gävle could celebrate a 4-2-victory in the series.

The home fans in Karlstad only got to see two goals in the sixth game in Färjestad's series against HV71, but the first one decided the entire series. Hannes Hyvönen's shot deflected Marcus Paulsson and found its way into the back of the net behind Daniel Larsson already in the first period. In a physical and heated game, HV71 created a lot of opportunity's to equalize but Färjestad's goalkeeper Cristopher Nihlstorp denied them 30 times. And when he didn't, Jason Krog's wristshot hit the bar AND post. Defending champions Färjestad are through to the semi finals and celebrated with the fans after the game, holding up a banner saying "Vi är Färjestad" - "We are Färjestad". 

Quarter finals:

Luleå - AIK 1-4
HV71 - Färjestad 2-4
Brynäs - Frölunda 4-2
Skellefteå - MODO 4-2

Semi finals:

Skellefteå - AIK
Brynäs - Färjestad

See the complete schedule here!

2012-03-19 13:45:00 | Teams

AIK to the semis - Luleå sensationally out

Luleå-AIK 1-4

AIK to the semi finals

Winner of Elitserien with 100 points. But the playoff is something that Luleå certainly will try to forget as soon as possible. AIK stunned the team from Norrbotten and won four straight games after losing the first one, making it 4-1 in the series. Thanks to a 3-0-victory yesterday, AIK advanced to the semi finals as the first team - just like last year, when they beat HV71 in four straight games. The club is now entering a phase of training and rest ahead of the semi finals starting next week.

"We've raised our game every night during this series. Today (yesterday), we played a fantastic game. It feels really nice to be in the semi finals", AIK:s goalkeeper Viktor Fasth told the clubs website.

AIK:s Viktor Fasth in action against Luleå. Photo: Fredrik Sundvall, Pic-Agency.com.

Skellefteå-MODO 3-2

A rollercoaster for the fans, to say the least. And a series with two great goalkeepers in Joacim Eriksson (Skellefteå) and Mikael Tellqvist (MODO). Skellefteå kickstarted with two victories and an impressive win, 4-0, away from home in the second game. People were talking about four straight victories, but thanks to two overtime-wins MODO equalized and made it 2-2. The team coached by former NHL-defender Ulf Samuelsson had the lead in yesterdays fight quarter final as well, but Skellefteå managed to turn it around and won 2-1 to make it 3-2 in the series.

Match point Skellefteå in Örnsköldsvik tomorrow.

Jimmie Ericsson, Skellefteå's captain, scored the winning goal yesterday. Photo: Foto Bert Söderström. Pic-Agency.com.

Brynäs-Frölunda 3-1

It started off with three very tight and close games and everyone expected the same scenario in Göteborg on Saturday. Everyone but Jakob Silfverberg. Brynäs producing forward had a fantastic night in Scandinavium and lead, together with goalkeeper Niklas Svedberg, his Brynäs to a 5-0-victory, the greatest so far in the playoffs.

Frölunda is pushed into a corner and need to win three straight games in order to avoid an early vacation. Next stop: Gävle, tonight.

Everyone wanted to talk with Jakob Silfverberg after the game in Scandinavium on Saturday. In the backgrounds: Frölunda's captain Joel Lundqvist. Photo: Per Friske, Pic-Agency Sweden.

HV71-Färjestad 2-2

The clash of the titans has been as interesting and hard to predict as pretty much everyone expected. Färjestad started in the best possible way by winning two straight games and forced an overtime-winner from HV71:s Jesse Joenssu in the third game, a goal that could prove crucial when it's time to summarize. Instead of 0-3, HV71 made it 1-2 and equalized Saturday evening after turning 2-3 to 5-3 in Karlstad. Next rond: tonight.

HV71:s Jason Krog celebrates a goal against Färjestad. Photo: Simone Syversson Pic Agency.com.

2012-03-15 15:28:00 | Djurgårdens IF

"Ten games of hockey war"

Tha playoffs are underway and that means hockey every night here in Sweden. The teams are in action each two days, and to add yet another dish to the buffet we're excited to announce that Kvalserien starts tonight!

Djurgårdens IF and Timrå IK will face four teams from HockeyAllsvenskan in a series of ten games in which the two best teams will play in Elitserien 2012/2013. Those four teams are Örebro (winner of HockeyAllsvenskan), Leksand (runner up), Karlskoga (third) and Rögle (quailed through a playoff).

Earlier this week, we spoke to Djurgården's forward Jonas Almtorp, who has played in Kvalserien twice with Södertälje before, and he's ready for a battle:

"We expect tight and tough games. It's going to be a hockey war in ten games", Almtorp said.

Check out the complete schedule for Kvalserien here. Now, as they sing in a famous song, let's get ready to rumble!

2012-03-07 13:18:00 | Teams

"We're entering a new world"

The Le Mat-trophy. Photo: Tobias Josefsson

Elitserien 2011/2012 is over and eight teams now remain in the playoffs, or "SM-slutspelet" as we say in Sweden. CANAL+ broadcasted the process in which teams 1-3 in the standings got to choose their oppositions in the quarter finals and here are some reactions from the head coaches:

Jonas Rönnqvist, Luleå, chose AIK:
"I can honestly say that I personally think it was extremely hard to choose. But we thought AIK was best because of the travels, it was easier than the other options. In addition, we have amazing fans down in Stockholm that deserves a chance to follow a great quarter final series".

Anders Forsberg, Skellefteå, chose MODO:
"We have great stats against MODO and the travels to Örnsköldsvik are convenient. It's going to be a great battle of Norrland and we really look forward to it. It has been close games against MODO and it’s going to be seven games, we’re prepared for that."

Ulf Dahlén, HV71, chose Färjestad:
"It’s very tough to choose, but we finished 3:rd and will play the team that finished 6:th. To win the playoffs you need to beat every team and we see it as a great challenge to start against the defending champions."

Tommy Jonsson, Brynäs, is facing Frölunda:
"Exciting. Frölunda is a great team that plays a nice hockey. We have great support from the fans down in Göteborg as well so that's very inspiring. Why we have lost 4 games against them this season is something I won't analyze here, but that's history now. We're entering a new period, a new world."

In the other end of the table, Djurgården had a tough night. The team from Stockholm lost to HV71 and will have to survive Kvalserien, a series of six teams fighting for two spots in Elitserien 2012/2013, to save the season. CANAL+ asked head coach Tony Zabel how he felt:

"In some way you feel terrible. We've lost a game in which it was all up to us. The key now is to keep calm and continue to work, look into the future and see that we're going to make this."

2012-03-07 00:10:00 | Teams

MODO to playoffs, Djurgården to Kvalserien

An emotional evening with both tears of joy and tears of sadness is over, just like Elitserien 2011/2012 is. It was a close race all the way until the end but the headlines of the day are that MODO secured the last playoff-spot, while Linköping managed to avoid Kvalserien, where Djurgården will go.

Linköping did so thanks to Pär Arlbrandt’s equalizer, 4-4, just 1:12 from time in the game against MODO in Örnsköldsvik. Djurgården lost to HV71, 1-2, and will therefore play together with Timrå in Kvalserien, a league of six teams that'll fight for two spots in Elitserien 2012/2013.

Växjö lost to Luleå, 1-4, meaning that their season is finished, just like Linköping's. Luleå on the other hand added 3 points to 97 to make it 100.

After the games, CANAL+ broadcasted the process in which the head coaches of teams 1-3 in the standings got to choose their opponents in the quarter finals. Here are the results:

Luleå – AIK (series starts Saturday)
Skellefteå – MODO (series starts Saturday)
HV71 – Färjestad (series starts Sunday)
Brynäs – Frölunda (series starts Sunday)

The quarter finals are decided in best-of-seven series. Reed more about them in here tomorrow!

2012-03-02 17:22:00 | Luleå HF

Luleå Hockey winner of Elitserien 2011/2012

With two game days remaining, meaning a lot for the standings especially in the bottom, Luleå Hockey secured the victory in Elitserien 2011/2012 by beating AIK 1-0 at overtime yesterday.

The team from Norrbotten have a million reasons to celebrate as they'll receive a price check of 1 million Swedish crones for the achievement.

It's the second time in the history of Elitserien that Luleå wins, the first one was 1995/1996.

Earlier winners of Elitserien

Season        Winning team
2011/2012     Luleå HF
2010/2011     HV71

2009/2010     HV71
2008/2009     Färjestad BK
2007/2008     HV71
2006/2007     Färjestad BK
2005/2006     HV71
2004/2005     Frölunda HC
2003/2004     HV71
2002/2003     Västra Frölunda HC
2001/2002     Färjestads BK
2000/2001     Djurgårdens IF

1999/2000     Djurgårdens IF
1998/1999     MODO Hockey
1997/1998     Djurgårdens IF
1996/1997     Leksands IF
1995/1996     Luleå HF
1994/1995     Djurgårdens IF
1993/1994     Leksands IF
1992/1993     Västerås IK
1991/1992     Färjestads BK
1990/1991     Djurgårdens IF

1989/1990     Färjestad BK
1988/1989     Djurgårdens IF
1987/1988     Djurgårdens IF
1986/1987     Färjestads BK
1985/1986     Färjestads BK
1984/1985     Djurgårdens IF
1983/1984     AIK
1982/1983     Färjestads BK
1981/1982     Färjestads BK
1980/1981     Skellefteå AIK

1979/1980     Leksands IF
1978/1979     MoDo AIK
1977/1978     Brynäs IF
1976/1977     Brynäs IF
1975/1976     Brynäs IF