The HV71 against Brynäs cannot be called difficult.
But it became a real fateful meeting for the SHL.
SC Final in 2017 and concern playoffs in 2021, with the hosts fielding the HV71 in the Hockey Allsvenskan.
Now that same Brynäs could be the salvation of the people of Småland.
Yes, the HV71 would probably like to take on the Brynäs every round if they had to decide for themselves.
After Thursday night’s 3-1 record, HV71 has won all three meetings this season.
Smålänninga won at home 3-2 in overtime on 15 October and away 5-1 at the end of November.
This meant that they had a total of eight points, a goal difference of 8-3 and averaged 2.67 points per game against the visitors.
Against other SHL teams, the HV71 averages 0.96 points which is why they are still where they are.
It would have been eight points
But at least they have contact with Brynäs again.
Had they lost all three points, there would have been a full eight points up to the qualifying mark.
Now it has become more human three to the guest worlds.
Now it’s not enough to beat Brynäs to climb the table, but Smålands have broken their terrible streak with seven straight losses.
But it started badly.
Less than twelve minutes later, Jacoib Blomqvist found Finland’s Hannes Björninen, who fired a backhand into the top of the net clear of Jonas Gunnarsson.
And after Småland’s impressive dominance and 8-1 shots, the score was 1-0 for the guests.
But HV71 finally got a straight dividend in the second half, when defender Emile Andre scored the equaliser.
Mance Lindbäck missed out on the ideal and Anders Lindbäck had no chance.
Then it was 2-1 when Mance Lindback turned a five-pointer and sent a rebound in front of the goal.
And they only had time to go 1.40 before Radan Link scored a 3-1 and boiled Husqvarna Garden.
Link barely had time to celebrate the goal, before Simon Bertelsson snuck in as old Jersey defender Scott Stevens once did and gave the Czech a blue thunderbolt.
From the replay, it was clear that much, if not all, of the force was on the head and Bertelsson conceded five minutes and a penalty.
It probably counts on a few match commentaries as well.
Thornberg has been highly praised
Before the match, Martin Thornberg took to the ice at Husqvarna Garden to celebrate all his amazing years and four SM Gold Medals at his parent club.
But also a reminder of the great years for HV71, which gave Smålänians four SM titles in 2004, 2008, 2019 and 2017.
Thornberg was there every time and helped decide the seventh and deciding game against Brynäs in 2017, when he played Simon Önerud to make it 2-1 in the mud.
I remember we drew a golden Martin Thornberg after a series finale in which he showed a heart as big as all of Småland.
Perhaps this is best illustrated by the fact that he covered the shots with his scrotum in one of the finals and ended up in the emergency room.
When HV71 and Brynäs met in the first historic negative playoffs in 2021, Thörnberg took a break with Division I hockey at HV Dalen and avoided the unthinkable in Jönköping.
to be moved down.
At that time there was no talk.
Brinas took a great chance and threw the completely inexperienced Joseph Boumediene and Nice Ekman into the box and won 4-1 in the matches.
Now one of the teams may end up there again.
But the risk is so small that in this case they will meet again.
Malmö continues to lose and is a long way from where it should actually be in the playoffs.
At the same time, all the teams closest to HV71 and Brynäs in the table won.
Luleå with a nearly necessary 2-1 against Timra, Linköping against Malmö and Oskarshamn leaving against Skellefteå.
The road is still long and difficult.
Yes, who would stop Skellefteå’s winning streak if not Oskarshamn.
I’m not surprised.
The team that does what comes to them went from 0-1 to win 3-1 and point king Ante Sumela decided to go 2-1 and play Ahti Oksanen to finish 3-1 in an empty box.
And it cannot be blamed that Skelleftea was forced to throw young goalkeeper Alexander Helnemo.
The Västerbottings won the shootout 42-21 and were very ineffective going forward.
Now the streak stops at sixteenth in a row, a record they share with Färjestad.
Circus Apollos continued in Angelholm this evening.
Letten, who was ready for Rögle next season, decided when he scored the only penalty kick and gave Örebro a 5-4 win.
Hap.