After two straight home wins, Brynäs seemed to have taken a stable grip on the quarterfinal series against Malmö.
But the Skåne team, last in the playoffs, has struck back on home ground – twice.
After goalkeeper Oskar Blomgren's great play on Monday (2–0), it was a rapid start that sank Brynäs in the fourth quarterfinal.
The home team flew forward and scored three goals in just over eleven minutes after goals from sharpshooter Axel Sundberg, the fourth goal in the playoffs, Lassi Thomson, and Linus Öberg.
We have really good speed and play focused and just keep going. We stress them so that their defenders fumble with the puck, says Sundberg to TV4 Play.
Had to sew
Malmö's goal scorer got a stick in the face in the first period, got sewn up with "two-three stitches", but came back.
Brynäs got hope when Jakob Silfverberg reduced the score in the last second just before the end signal for the first period went.
But when Malmö struck back with a late goal in the second period – Joona Ikonen made it 4–2 – and then Teemu Kivihalme could make it 5–2 at the beginning of the third period, the three-goal lead was back.
Ikonen eventually became a two-goal scorer.
"It's tough"
Brynäs coach Niklas Gällstedt was disappointed afterwards.
Most of all, it's the start of the match where we end up in a 0–3 deficit. It's tough, he says to TV4 Play.
Brynäs was also forced to change goalkeepers after one period. Erik Källgren, first start in the playoffs, could not continue and Ludvig Persson replaced him.
I don't know, I think something happened, but I don't have a clue, says Gällstedt.
Instead, William Forsberg took his place on the bench as the second goalkeeper.
The fifth match in the quarterfinal series will be played on Friday in Gävle.
