Skellefteå had an equalizer disallowed with just over four minutes remaining. Defender Viktor Grahn thought he had tied the score at 3–3, but after video review, Luleå goalkeeper Matteus Ward was deemed to have been impeded by the stick of Skellefteå forward Mikkel Aagaard.
"The referees say that Mikkel's stick is up and interfering. I don't know exactly how it got there, but when they are out there checking like that, they have done the right thing," says Skellefteå coach Daniel Hermansson.
Skellefteå had the chance to sweep their arch-rivals and win four straight matches, but the Norrbotten side managed to cut the series deficit to 1–3.
Skellefteå's next chance to secure a final spot comes at home on Wednesday, while Luleå dreams of pulling a Rögle and turning a 0–3 series deficit into victory.
“Special group”
Rögle was responsible for a unique feat in Swedish ice hockey in the quarterfinal series against Färjestad.
"We can absolutely do that. We have a special group here. It's a long way to go, but now we've created a little more uncertainty among them," says Shinnimin.
The reigning champion team took control of things right at the last opportunity - and was rewarded with numerical superiority.
That form of play faltered for Luleå in the semifinal series, with only one goal in eight attempts.
But Brendan Shinnimin improved on that statistic for Luleå by scoring the opening goal at 11:35 of the first period.
Luleå also took the lead in the third semi-final match, but Skellefteå turned things around and won 3–1. So when Skellefteå equalized through defender Arvid Lundberg in the second period, many home fans despaired and believed in a repeat.
Shinnimin two-goal game
Then home defender Jesper Sellgren stepped forward and scored to make it 2-1 at the end of the second period - just over four minutes after the equalizer.
In the third period, last year's champions got off to a dream start when Brendan Shinnimin scored twice within 40 seconds. Isac Hedqvist's shot went past the Canadian and into the goal.
However, the two-goal advantage only lasted 1:44 when Oskar Vuollet gave Skellefteå new hope with his 3-2 goal.
But Luleå was still able to hold on.
