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ELITE TIMES AHEAD
For those who arrived at Malmö Isstadion on Wednesday last the tension was already palpable. For those who arrived just before the puck dropped it was almost unbearable. The win against Skellefteå the previous week alongside Södertälje dropping points made the things fairly easy to predict. Malmö needed to beat Leksand to open the door to elite hockey in the autumn.
Malmö Redhawks v Leksand
1-0 (03.55) Carl Söderberg (E Frylén, J Norgren) 4/5
2-0 (10.44) David Moravec (J Riihijärvi, K Staal) 5/4
3-0 (28.40) Juha Riihijärvi 4/5
3-1 (35.45) Jiri Bicek (O Steen, C Steen)
3-2 (36.58) Jens Bergenström (J Ollas)
4-2 (46.06) Alexander Semjonovs (A Savage)
4-3 (59.21) Jimmie Eriksson (C Steen)
Shot: 24-22 (9-8, 7-8, 8-6)
Penalties: MR: 8x2 LIF: 7x2
Referee: Lars-Johan Ryhed
Attendance: 5769
The players certainly were up for it, and their intentions were made clear. Malmö were two goals up at the end of the first after Carl Söderbergh slotted home during a penalty kill and David Moravec made things look easy when Malmö were playing in a powerplay. The queues at the hot dog stands were filled with smiling faces after a very powerful performance from a Malmö team intent on securing their own way into the top flight next season. At the start of the second the tension in the stadium had visibly eased and now it was just excitement. Things got even better for Malmö when Juha Riihijärvi scored in another penalty kill to make it three nil after twenty eight minutes. "Vi är tillbaka (we are back)" was the cry from the stands as Malmö seemed in total control of the evenings proceedings.
Leksand had other plans. They had no intention of being the carpet that Malmö used to walk back into the Elitserien. Going three down seemed to help focus the visitors who soon went into party spoiling mode. Goals from Jiri Bicek and Jens Bergenström before the end of the period brought Leksand back into the game, and the tension back into the stadium. Smiles in the hot dog queues had changed to worried frowns. 3:2 to the home team at the end of the second.
The Redhawks needed to take control of a game that was slowly running away from them. Alexanders Semjonovs made the most of good work done by Andre Savage to score and restore calm after six minutes of the third period. The excitement grew again and as time moved on the waves started in the crowd, the cheering got louder, the fans circled around the outside of the plexi adding to the noise by banging on it. Few people noticed Jimmie Eriksson sneaking in after 19:21 to make it four to three. Leksand call a time out; pull the netminder and the crowd focus on the game for another 39 seconds. It was a long 39 seconds but a relatively uneventful one, Hirsch blocked one shot, Söderbergh and Moravec missed difficult opportunities. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity the horn sounded, the game was over, the fans invaded the ice, Malmö were back in the Elitserien.
PICTURES FROM MALMÖ v LEKSAND
PICTURES FROM THE CELEBRATIONS
STATISTICS FROM MALMÖ v LEKSAND
Special souvenir t-shirts have been produced. You can order them from the Malmö Redhawks shop.
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Södertälje v Malmö
0-1 (03.23) Alexander Semjonovs (J Coleman, J Riihijärvi) 4/5
1-1 (03.56) Dragan Umicevic (T Pettersson, J Houkko) 5/4
2-1 (12.01) Anze Kopitar
2-2 (17.45) Markus Matthiasson (P Ahlstrand) 4/5
3-2 (29.15) Erik Norbäck (P Skröder, P Liimatainen) 5/3
3-3 (34.16) Kim Staal (J Björk, P Ahlstrand)
3-4 (39.02) Juha Riihijärvi (A Semjonovs, E Frylén) 4/5
4-4 (41.57) Tom Wandell
4-5 (50.56) Markus Matthiasson (P Ahlstrand)
4-6 (51.15) Nicklas Jadeland (C Söderberg)
5-6 (54.50) Anze Kopitar (J Ericsson, R Carlsson)
Shot: 39-24 (16-8, 10-7, 13-9)
Penalties: SSK: 2x2 MR: 6x2
Referee: Wolmer Edqvist
Attendance: 2273
Malmö Redhawks had the chance to be crowned champions of the Kvalserien by winning this away game. As both teams really had nothing to play for the line ups were missing quite a few faces. In Malmö's case Stepanek, Sekeras, Tomik and Moravec were allowed to go home for family reasons. The rest of the squad made the trip to the AXA arena in Södertälje.
The chant from the fans was "the show must go on" and with nothing really to play for that's what both teams did, play for a show. The score reflected a very open game of hockey. It's enough to say that at the end of what turned out to be an absolute goal-fest Malmö sneaked a 5:6 win to be crowned Kvalserien champions.
STATISTICS FROM SSK v MALMÖ
PICTURES FROM SSK v MALMÖ
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OTHER NEWS
* There is very little competitive hockey between now and the start of the Elitserien. However interest in other things comes to the fore, its time for silly season.
* Marcus Paulsson is the first of the new signings for next year. Marcus last played for Malmö in 2004/2005 and has spent the last year playing for TPS in Finland.
You can read a profile on Marcus here.
* Coach, Lars "Osten" Bergström, has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave the club after one season; he will inform the club of his decision no later than two weeks after the end of the season.
* Malmoredhawks.com will keep everyone up to date with all the comings and goings at the club as well as other news during the close season.
By: John Noonan
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