Hot-tempered, physical and irritated.
This is how it looked from the start in the heated encounter between the rivals from the north.
But the further the reigning champions pulled away, the more the emotions subsided. Jonathan Pudas, Mikkel Aagaard and Pär Lindholm pushed Skellefteå to a 3–0 lead in the first period.
Luleå reduced the lead at the very start of the second period through Valtteri Puustinen, and saw a chance to get even closer with a power play at the end of the middle period. But then Skellefteå made it 4–1 through Pontus Johansson after Lindholm set it up.
And the derby was definitely decided.
In the final period, the home team pulled away and Aagaard scored two goals.
"Of course it's great to come back after two losses. We're playing a good match for 50 minutes," says Skellefteå forward Rickard Hugg.
Skellefteå climbed to fifth place in the table, while Luleå is firmly in the basement and the third straight loss means the team is second to last. A nightmare start for new coach Dennis Hall, who took over from icon Thomas “Bulan” Berglund, who led Luleå to Swedish Championship gold both as a player and coach.
Newcomer Björklöven went on a rampage - 0–5 against Färjestad - in their home opener on Saturday, but got their revenge immediately when HV71 was defeated at home 4–2. The Umeå team scored three straight goals, from 1–2 to 4–2, and took its third victory in four matches.
Timrå is last without a three-pointer after a 0–1 away loss to Brynäs.
