The big winner in the bottom struggle was not any of the teams in Örnsköldsvik.
Instead, it was Linköping that won over Malmö with 3–0 and increased the lead to the teams on the qualifying spot.
I think the situation is the same for us as before. It looks tough, but regardless of whether it takes 52 rounds or seven matches for us to make it, we'll make sure to be prepared, says Blomqvist.
The Star Injured
HV71 came to the decisive match without top scorer Henrik Borgström, who injured himself during practice and will undergo further examination on Wednesday.
HV started brightly, but Modo took the lead through the skilled goal-scorer Mikkel Aagaard, who scored his 18th goal of the season.
But HV71 turned it around. Joey LaLeggia equalized at the end of the first period, and in the middle of the second, Oskar Stål-Lyrenäs scored the go-ahead goal.
In the third period, HV71 – and especially goalkeeper Frederik Dichow – withstood play in three against five for almost two minutes.
With just over a minute left, Jonathan Ang could make it 3–1 in an empty Modo net, and HV broke a three-match losing streak.
I think we come up here and execute our game plan. Great to see how we act in box play when we get an incorrect referee decision against us, he says about the situation in the third period.
"Too Bad"
Modo coach Mattias Karlin was downbeat afterwards.
I don't think we reach a good level of intensity. We have no one who takes charge. In five-on-three situations, we fail. It's too bad, he says.
Modo was one point behind Linköping before Tuesday's match – now the gap is four points.
Linköping's lead over HV71 is seven points.
Linköping's Robin Kovacs, one of the goal-scorers in the 3–0 win, was asked if he feels the pressure in the bottom struggle.
We know the situation, you're not more than human, he says to TV4 Play.
The situation became slightly less pressured after the 3–0 win.
- Linköping 61 points.
Remaining matches, 6/3: Timrå (a), 8/3 Rögle (h), 11/3 HV71 (a).
- Modo 57 points.
6/3 Luleå (a), 8/3 Timrå (h), 11/3 Skellefteå (a).
- HV71 54 points.
6/3 Örebro (h), 8/3 Färjestad (a), 11/3 Linköping (h).
