There seems to be no way to stop Luleå and HV71

North Division

Finnish side Kärpät received group leaders Luleå HF from Sweden for today's top game of North Division. The Swedes had won all their five previous matches and also Kärpät wasn't strong enough for them so that they now have a new ET record with 6 wins in a row - a record they possibly have to share with Berlin and HV71 in the near future. The duel between the two clubs started a bit slowly because of too many penalties in the first ten minutes. Although the play improved afterwards the fans had to wait for the first goal until Miikka Salomäki used a power play to get the home team in front at 25:22. In what became an open match now, the guests turned the result around completely at the end of the middle period through Karl Fabricius and Chris Abbott. When Linus Persson scored at 45:56 for the Swedes it seemed to be the decision but only 16 seconds later Mika Halava gave some hope back to the home crowd. In the ending phase of the match Kärpät took a time out and shortly afterwards their goalie Johan Backlund left his net for an additional attacker. This was used by Daniel Gunnarsson whose empty-netter made it 2-4. While Kärpät is now out of competition already, Luleå earned important three points in their battle for the first place with German champions Eisbären Berlin.

Last year winners EC Red Bull Salzburg needed a win in the race to catch up second-placed Eisbären Berlin but against HC Mountfield from the Czech Republic they lost all three points. The Austrians never found to their style of playing and a two-goal lead after the first period through Lukas Kveton and Rudolf Cerveny was too much for them to come back. Cerveny even added another goal in the last period in a power play situation. Mountfield goalie Pavel Kantor earned a shutout. Now both teams have 6 points each after five games and a qualification for Red Bull Salute seems more than unrealistic at the moment considering the strength of Luleå and Berlin.

South Division

In the meeting of the two bottom clubs of South Division KalPa earned their first win of this ET campaign beating SM-liiga champions JYP away 2-5. Already at 4:26 Matias Myttynen brought the hosts in front. When they missed to extend their lead they ran into a counter attack that was finished by Sakari Salminen for the equalizer late in the first period. In the next 20 minutes JYP continued to be the more active side but KalPa was far more effective and added three goals (Antti Kerälä (2), Artturi Lehkonen) for a 4-1 lead. Into the last period JYP started with a lot of motivation and at 42:11 they cut the lead to the half Miika Lahti. This short momentum was stopped by Kerälä who earned a hattrick - what let him become player of the match - at 44:37 to score the final 2-5.  

HV71 extended their lead over second-placed Sparta Praha with a solid 4-1 win against their Elitserien rivals Linköpings HC. Marcus Nilsson and Jason Krog pathed the way for the home win in the first ten minutes. After a string of penalties on both sides, Jason Krog was the one to make it 3-0 at 24:32 in an even second period. Early in the third Mattias Bäckman brought the LHC on the scoreboard. But if there was anyone who thought this could be a turning point for the game, HV71 showed no nerves and just one and a half minutes later Rhett Rakhshani got the final three-goal lead back. 

East Division

The only match in East Division was the one of two historic hockey powers from Sweden. In Stockholm's Hovet home side recently relegated Djurgårdens IF received current Swedish champions Brynäs IF. In an exciting game the fans had to wait until 18:52 when Andreas Thuresson opened the score for Brynäs. Within five minutes of the middle period Ludwig Blomstrand and Michael Holmqvist turned the result around for DIF but the guests fought back almost immediately through Jonas Nordqvist. In the third period it was just the opposite. Another two times Brynäs went in front through Calle Järnkrok and Johan Harju but in both occasions DIF found a quick answer through Ludwig Blomstrand and Jimmie Ölvestad. After a goalless overtime, it was Michael Holmqvist who made possible the extra point for DIF with his shootout winner.  

 

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