The audience was treated to a festival in Bollnäs on Boxing Day. When arch-rival Edsbyn came to visit, a new attendance record of 3,700 spectators was set in the bandy hall in Bollnäs.
However, there was no bandy treat on offer initially on the ice. The game was tough and goalless for a long time in the Hälsingland derby.
"War of positions"
It's a derby and it's Boxing Day, it's supposed to be permissive, says Bollnäs team captain Erik Pettersson in the Bandypuls broadcast.
A own goal broke the deadlock after 34 minutes when Bollnäs' Jens Wiik unfortunately deflected a lift from Ted Hedell. Ten minutes later, Edsbyn's top scorer Oscar Wikblad – nicely set up by team captain Per Hellmyrs – could make it 2–0.
In added time, Kasper Sandgren did reduce the score for the home team, but Bollnäs had a nightmare start to the second half.
Just 86 seconds in, another own goal was scored. Again, it was Hedell who sent the ball in front of the goal and via a Bollnäs skate, 3–1 was a fact.
The misfortune continued to grin at table-ninth Bollnäs. After 53 minutes, the home team was awarded a penalty, but Rasmus Skarps shot it straight into the post.
It gets mentally tough, then we completely lose it, says Skarps to Bandypuls.
Four goals by Wiklund
Instead, Wikblad could score his second goal of the day to make it 4–1 for table-second Edsbyn.
Wikblad was not finished there – far from it. Within a few minutes, he scored both 5–1 and 6–1 and became a four-goal scorer in the Boxing Day derby. He is now up to 34 goals in 17 league matches this season.
Today, we're back on the track we've been on before, says Edsbyn's team captain Per Hellmyrs to Bandypuls.
At Studenternas IP in Uppsala, Sirius lost heavily when visiting Hammarby won 4–2 in front of 4,351 spectators.
In Västerås, the home team had little to say against reigning champions Villa Lidköping, in a replay of last season's Swedish Championship final. The visitors won 9–5 and maintain a clear grip on first place in the elite league, five points ahead of second-placed Edsbyn.
Villa had two three-goal scorers in Joel Broberg and Christoffer Edlund.
