HV 71, which has recruited extensively, has had a nightmare start to the season and was the only team without a win before this match.
It did not get any better as HV 71 had a poor first period and created nothing. Therefore, it was a reflection of the match picture that Frölunda went to the break with a 1-0 lead through Jacob Peterson.
In the second period, HV 71 lifted their game and also got a reward in powerplay, which has been a weakness for the Småland team. It was Aleksi Heponiemi who, after 16.16, made it 1-1 and HV 71 seemed to be on their way back.
The cold shower came instead just under two minutes later when Ivar Stenberg scored 2-1 for Frölunda, despite having three HV 71 players around him.
Defender Niklas Hansson expressed in TV4 what many of his teammates felt after the clumsy defensive game:
There, we are the ones who should decide. It's not good enough. It has to get better.
In the final period, HV 71 pushed for equalization. Jonna Luoto was closest with a puck in the crossbar. But no closer than that did HV 71 get to equalizing.
Pressured coach
After the match, HV71 coach Anton Blomqvist was noticeably pressured in TV4:
We need to make a sober analysis now. It's bubbling inside me now and it's hard to keep it together. We lose on different things every time. We are now in a tough situation.
On Tuesday, HV 71 may be on its way to writing SHL history. If HV 71 loses to Leksand then, the team will have seven straight losses. No team has lost the first eight matches in the SHL.
Other notes from the sixth round were that Luleå managed to break their losing streak of three matches when they came to Leksand and won 4-1.
Växjö took a new win when the team defeated Färjestad 4-2.
