No team in Swedish ice hockey has managed to turn a 0–3 deficit into a 4–3 victory in matches in either the Swedish Championship playoffs or the SHL qualifying games.
Leksand also failed in the relegation qualifier against HV71.
The Dala team lost the fourth straight game 1–2 after extra time. The away team's Lukáš Rousek sent Leksand down to the hockey allsvenskan for next season.
"There are probably few who know what it feels like to be in this situation. An incredibly tough moment," Johan Hedberg told TV4.
"It's hard to go here"
Ahead of the fateful match, Leksand had problems filling its home stadium.
"Many people have their hearts set on Leksand and find it difficult to go here. That's why we want to fill the stadium as much as possible," acting club director Peter Wiklund told Falu-Kuriren before the match.
The 6,668 spectators who made it there saw a battle for position in the first period. With 15 seconds left in the second period, Leksand took the lead through Michael Lindqvist. And it looked like it would be enough for Leksand for a long time.
But with 10 seconds left in regulation time, HV71's Hugo Pettersson scored the 1-1 goal. And the rest is history.
A proper fight
Leksand didn't leave the SHL without a proper fight. In the middle of the third period, HV71's William Ignberg Nilsson ended up in Leksand's penalty box.
Several Leksand players then jumped on Ignberg Nilsson, while the away players rushed in to protect their teammate.
It ended with eight penalty minutes for HV71 and four for Leksand.
The relegation means a massive financial loss for Leksand. In the SHL, teams receive around 50 million kronor per season from television and advertising rights. The corresponding amount in the hockey allsvenskan is around five million kronor.
For HV71, this is the third season in a row that the team has managed to stay in the SHL through victory in the relegation qualifiers.
"A tremendous effort from everyone around the club. It's so damn nice," said HV71's goalkeeper Felix Sandström to TV4.
2023
June 26: First annual meeting. Protests against proposals that the same people should be able to sit on company and association boards. The annual meeting is adjourned.
August 16: Second annual meeting. The nomination committee's proposal is voted down. There is an aggressive atmosphere both during and after the meeting. The nomination committee resigns and the annual meeting is adjourned.
August 28: Third annual meeting: After a new proposal from a new nomination committee, the boards are formed.
2024
June 28: Financial report at the annual meeting shows a loss of 11.5 million SEK. But the debate is more about regulations regarding digital presence.
2025
June 24: Leksands IF reports a loss of 18.5 million. The club begins a savings program of 20 million.
2026
February 12: Sports director Thomas Johansson is allowed to leave the club. Leksand is then in last place in the SHL standings.
March 24: Leksand loses the fourth straight match in the relegation qualifiers against HV71 and is set to play in the hockey allsvenskan next season.
