Örnsköldsvik and Modu have been waiting for seven years.
They may not have been closer to SHL than now.
The importance of Sebastian Olsson’s decisive goal cannot be overstated.
After three periods the score was 1-1 in the final of Svenskan.
5–1 in power play didn’t help Modo win in regular time. The home team had bounced back after a somewhat miserable midseason and made just enough for the winning goal.
Josh Dickinson burned a completely open goal and Pontus Nasin missed two chances.
But Djurgården also made: Kristers Goldievskis made two top-notch saves, with first David Blomgren and then Liam O’Gren leading.
But what a decision it was with two minutes remaining in the first overtime period. A couple of zookeepers collided in the strike zone and Modo came out three to one.
Sebastian Olsson shoots himself and Hägglund’s yard explodes. After just over 77 minutes of play, there was logic in Modo’s eventual victory.
Only one match was played which is of course from 1st to 4th but for Modo it looked like a master match.
Modo qualified for the final by sweeping Mora.
Djurgården got there by going 4-2 in matches against Björklöven.
In a series of matches with Färjestad – Frölunda was highlighted as the most entertaining this spring.
The fact that the series of matches was tough, tight and highly entertaining has been highlighted by many as a strong argument that Djurgården will enter the Allsvenskan final as favourites.
Measuring strength ratios from previous series matches when two teams meet is just as dangerous as drawing conclusions from the pre-season.
Every game series lives its own life and now we get another proof of that.
Meirenberg acted cool and mature again
The last time I was at Hägglunds Arena, in the middle of January, these two teams had already met.
Djurgården was a slammed, broken and injured team who, in all fairness, didn’t have much rights on the ice. Modo can win 80 percent quite easily.
A lot has happened to Stockholmers in the three months to tonight. On the other hand, they have brought back many players, but above all they act as a team and are gradually getting better and better at the game both with and without the puck.
Even the goalkeeper’s double injuries did not shake Järnkamenerna.
Jesper Myrenberg also played great tonight as a grownup.
Modo has been waiting seven years for this SHL opportunity (I’m not counting on covid season) and has the ring in an all red suit.
Tifo in red, white and green. Beautifully sonorous Viljan’s name: “Here the legends return, oh we raise our hands.”
There are certainly worse lines of text in the various anthems in Swedish sport, if I may say so.
Nobody wants to change the sport
Debate has raged in recent days about which of the two finalists will be more interesting to prequel and more entertaining.
Växjö – Skellefteå.
Modo – The Zoo.
When the first round is completed, we can say that it has been controlled here as well.
and humble.
It is a division apart in quality, as it should be.
Most people realized that this would be something very different from the Löven – Djurgården series.
And it took me five minutes to confirm it.
The first 20 minutes was pretty much a period of relaxation and enjoyment.
In Växjö, emphasis was placed on the fact that some spectators went for a ground ball when the fourth period was played without a decision.
After 20 minutes of final play, none of the 7075 (all but absentees) wanted to leave and change sports.
Modo got out of control and focus.
Djurgården quietly walked out.
A clear advantage for the home team after 20 minutes and a 1-0 lead.
Modo faded in the middle of the period
Two rather weak games for the home team resulted in at least one goal. Gentle action by Daniel Brickley and sniping by Mikkel Aagard were enough when the team PP game felt a bit tricky.
Curva Carlabelle fired up and was on his way to bring the rest of the arena with him.
Before the midterms, zoo center Ludwig Rensfeldt said they had talked about two things.
I suspect passing quality from your own area and winning some close matches was high on Garpenlöv’s wish list.
And as pale as Modo’s appearance was, Djurgården’s rise was quite impressive.
Eight minutes later, Matthias Carlin took a time-out.
A minute later, Djurgården equalized.
There are really few top teams that can fluctuate in quality during a match like Modo. Nobody symbolizes it better (or worse) than Pontus Nésén. The middle period was such an example. It gets very slow and very sloppy.
New match in Örnsköldsvik already in two days.
The press is now in Djurgården. They definitely don’t want to go back to Hovet with a 0-2 lead.