Skellefteå plays in its own division this fall

It was a standard fireworks display, sizzling.

It already felt like New Year’s Eve when I sat back and enjoyed the Norland drama between Luleå and Skellefteå.

But the roles are reversed in the table.

Skellefteå plays in its own division this fall.

It was 3-2 to Skelleftea on penalties at the end and there was no doubt they deserved to win.

Skellefteå has all the features that Luleå lacks this winter.

This match began a record chase, with Skelleftea goalkeeper Linus Söderström keeping three consecutive clean sheets and was only 7.28 minutes away from breaking Alexander Salak’s ten-year-old record for the longest clean sheet.

It cracked after only a few seconds.

After slarv av backen Arvid Lundberg, Mario Kempe fritt läge och sedan var Juhani Tyrväinen lika Fri på returen.

But Söderström has twice saved two records.

Then 1-0 to Skellefteå just 53 seconds later, when Tom Konnäckel slotted in a fine pass from Andreas Wingerli.

Then I passed the 7.38, which was required for registration and this year’s discovery in the SHL alone was on record.

Linus Söderström was a sensation in Skellefteå, when no one could have even dreamed it would be like this.

He stands there alone with the log

I went through all the rankings of new signings this season and Linus wasn’t on one list. Not even on the Sportbladet’s 50 Names.

It was completely normal.

That’s how low expectations are for a goalkeeper who has battled against the wind for five winters after the breakthrough 2016/17 HV71 golden season saw Skelleftea only sign a one-year contract.

It was Frölunda Lasse Johansson, Brynäs Andreas Lindbäck, Finnish HV71 star Juni Orteo and to some extent Malmö’s Adam Werner who drew attention.

Now Linus Söderström is standing there alone with the record.

228 minutes and 39 seconds is what applies today, and it might have been longer if Skelleftea full-back Peter Granberg hadn’t groaned five minutes and a penalty of 9.18 in the second half.

Then Linus Lindstrom rose 2-0 to the bottom of the West already in the first period and Skelleftea completely dominated the second set until his ejection.

I didn’t think it was that serious when Granberg rode Johanni Tervenen, although it was a clear second. But it was both superfluous and careless, and since the blow partially hit the head, everyone knows where the crossbar lies in Swedish hockey these days.

It was really annoying in there for a while, but Lulea found a way to match.

Einar Emanuelson was also able to lift a 2-1 reduction in numerical superiority and then finish off Konstantin Komarek with a 2-2 tackle with just two seconds remaining.

It also held up after a somewhat uneventful final period.

Dark penalty kick stats lolio

Perhaps not surprising given that the last three meetings between the two teams were decided first by penalty shootouts.

Skellefteå won all three, and now it’s fourth, when only Rickard Hoog scored.

Lulea’s weakness is the attacking side, which is also noticeable in the penalty shootouts of the season.

In 20 attempts, they scored 1 goal.

Then it all ended with a little fanfare when Leo Komarov and Jonathan Bodas thanked each other after the match.

There were no direct polite expressions.

But it’s nice to see some feelings for once.

Linus Soderström’s long clean sheet wasn’t the only record in this match.

After all, Skellefteå extend their record streak every time they win, tying their previous record after 12 games won.

Now they are up to fifteen.

If they also win at home against HV71 on January 3, they will tie Färjestad’s SHL record of 16 in a row from the 2001/02 season.

The Brinas ended up at a straight 0-3 disadvantage at half time for the second straight game.

At home against Luleå on Wednesday, they managed to turn around and win 7-4.

Now they’ve caught Rögle’s lead and tied it at 3-3, but then the fun is over.

In-Form Rögle made another move and won 8-5 in the end.

Real fireworks show.

There were six matches in hockey allsvenskan this evening as well and Modo lost the summit meeting at home against Björklöven who won 4-1.

The second loss in a row for Modo, who broke his long winning streak against Östersund as recently as Thursday.

Are Angerman Landers in their first slump of the season?