It has been 23 years since the two teams met.
I am already looking forward to the next meeting.
Brynas and Bjorkloven feel they are the team to beat to reach the Swedish League final.
The first versus the second is at an early peak.
The two teams that many expected to settle into the Allsvenskan final with an SHL bowl spot met for the first time this season.
For the first time in a competitive context since 2000/01.
After tonight’s game, there’s really no indication that it was an early test for the upcoming final.
It was a heavyweight clash worthy of the name, which was scoreless (but not by accident) for 53 minutes.
Bjorkloven goalkeeper Jonna Voutilainen was impressive when Breenas had his chances, eventually saving 38 shots and keeping a clean sheet.
Brynäs burned three power play situations during the game when Björklöven got his first chance of the game with just 7.20 left in the third period.
The best PP team in the series immediately showed how it should be done, and after 18 seconds, Alexander Wicklund scored the key goal.
Which was also the winning goal. Then Joel Mustonen hit a 2-0 shot into an empty cage.
Who fired Prerna?
Distinctive new signing Jordi Ben.
It was also a shock to the waiting home audience.
One of the most entertaining periods of autumn
In many parts, the game was at SHL level, however, the goaltending had no SHL quality. There weren’t a lot of puck drops that opened up obvious opportunities – but it was entertaining.
Two teams conceded goals during the opening match, Prinas 49 and Leuven 50, and by Allsvenska standards, both teams could play a real power play.
Rudin-Wessel-Kelleher vs. Dower-Nelson-Powell-Meyer
Kobaka – Larsson – Indrassis vs. Boli – Weigel – Schilke.
Then I didn’t even mention Fortier, Mustonen, and the injured Renasdo Scott/Holland.
And of course it got a little worse…
Anton Rudin alone had perhaps eight clear positions.
The first period may have been scoreless but it was one of the most enjoyable periods I’ve seen this fall. I think the coaches might not have been happy with certain parts of the game.
It was like a handball match where the middle area was just something that had to be passed as quickly as possible.
Brenas attacked the most and the best, but the times when Löfven got the zone time, they also created a number of heated situations against the young Damien Clara.
A new public concert in Gävle
The fact that Brynäs opted to bench Anders Lindbäck for this derby in front of a packed home arena was perhaps a bit of a sign as well.
Gavle fans, who in the past six years have suffered crises, trials of fate, losses and a series of coach dismissals, this fall managed to be happy and cautiously proud of their team.
This is not the least noticeable in the audience numbers.
The average attendance for the night was 6,722 seats – now the chamber is almost full with 7,875 of the 7,909 seats seated.
The Monitor ERP arena was rocking late Friday night.
As with the cake, new acquisition Geordie Benn also makes his debut. The bearded back received a warm reception to say the least when he was introduced to the lineup.
Now, if anyone thinks Breenas brought in a retired Canadian who will have issues with the pace, they should think again.
Ben scored 22 points for the Montreal Canadiens just a few years ago, and he is mobile and relatively skilled with the puck. But he may not use the club as in the case of the sending off, which was decisive in the match.
A true message of strength from Lovin
The pace did slow down a bit quite unexpectedly midway through the period, and for that reason, it didn’t continue to be entertaining.
Barely half the game had been played when the light heads in the away section were burned out by fireworks and all his friends had to gracefully leave the arena to conduct searches and missed large parts of the middle period.
This could also be the case.
However, they had to come back in the third half and see their side take all three points – and in the final minute, it was the packed away side who sang the loudest.
And they are still singing.
No places were awarded in the SHL in October, but this was a real statement of strength from Björklöven, above all else. Going down to Gävle, silencing the crowded arena and getting the three points builds confidence and morale.
The match ended and the time was 22.45.
This night (delivery at 20.30) really had everything you could hope for.