The SHL is approaching the end of the first half and the whole of Skåne is in crisis.
When Malmö-Rögle meet in the Skåne derby next week, it could be a pure jumbo final.
But mostly the night is black for Malmö after another loss and 2-3 at home against Leksand.
It was the drama of the penalty shootout that decided the match, which became an orgy of defeats and saves, before Emil Heinemann was able to finally decide the match.
Despite the sixth straight loss, one point was enough to overtake Rögle in the table and go into eleventh place.
But Malmö has played two games more than its neighbor from Ängelholm and one game more than chasing Oskarshamn and HV71, who are only two points behind in both positions.
It’s a big change of scenery for a team that started the season with flying colors and racked up 12 points in its first five games.
Including a premiere 5-2 away against Skellefteå and an 8-4 thrashing at home against Brynäs.
Malmö were already league leaders after the fourth round and remained there after the fifth round.
It was hot.
Since then it just collapsed.
Now it’s Skåne’s time in both no-man’s-land places on the table, with Rögle in 12th and with a new Scania derby on the way next week.
The most outstanding team in the series
Malmö was helped by Rögle in particular before the game against Leksand, when Kim Rosdahl returned after a difficult season, meaning the Abbott brothers saw no future in the prestigious Oskarshamn first-string signing.
But I hardly saw the smoke from Rosdahl, he didn’t even miss two penalties at the end.
Yes, hardly any other attacker.
In the last three matches, Malmö managed to score only four goals ahead.
Then you won’t win any matches.
They are down six points in a row now and after that strong start they have only scored ten points in their last fourteen games.
This makes Malmö the weakest team in the series so far.
Now Leksand wasn’t much better this evening, but Emil Heineman’s unique goal to make it 1-0 midway through the first half promised more.
Late returner Heinemann jumped on a rebound and flicked the ball into the roof of the net behind Daniel Marmenlind.
It was more difficult and more beautiful than it looks.
Kali Ostman made it 2-0 with just over eight minutes remaining and then thought the game was over.
Malmö, however, made a strong push and a minute later Lance Puma leveled Game 6 in the last minute, Frederik Handymark.
That was probably the only positive thing about this night, although I have to admit that Scania deserved to win in extra time because they created a lot of chances.
It could be the same situation as last year
But it is difficult for Malmö and they are in a situation where the margins are rarely on your side.
But they must wake up now, because HV71 is coming from behind after two straight victories.
Malmö was 12th last year, but then it was only two points until the last play-off and a huge margin for Djurgården closer to the finish line.
Then Malmö broke out strongly after a change of coach when Joachim Fagervall had to leave and Thomas Kolar took over.
Now they are about to end up in the same situation again.
If I have to commend someone, it’s Leksandspubliken.
Yes, you read that correctly.
It was the games that brought Malmö Arena to the best crowd figure for the season with 8,334 spectators.
Lexand is a phenomenon, he should be getting rewards almost from the teams they face.
They drew the largest away crowd – as usual – with an average of 7,697.
No other team comes close to that.