Karlskrona HK promoted to SHL

The young club Karlskrona HK, formed in 2001, promoted tonight to SHL for the first time. Karlskrona finished second in HockeyAllsvenskan two points behind Västerås. The two teams got to play a 5-game series for a spot in the SHL. Västerås won the first game 2-1 at home but then Karlskrona won three in a row: 3-1 at home, 4-3 after overtime away and today 2-1 at home. Today Västerås took an early lead when Dustin Johner scored after 4:11. The guests would keep the lead until the final minutes. Joel Kellman tied it at 53:04 and Vyacheslav Trukhno scored the series-winning goal at 55:31.

"I have no words", says the Russian hero to Viasat Hockey. It is outstanding, absolutely crazy. After the second period we said that if we do the same job it will end well. We did everything."

For Västerås the SHL dream is still not over. The league will expand from 12 to 14 teams and three spots are yet not decided. Rögle, Björklöven, Vita Hästen, Mora, Karlskoga and Malmö are currently playing a stage called Slutspelsserien a five-game round robin. The best placed team there will play Västerås for one SHL spot while teams two and three will play Leksand and MODO from SHL.

Tonight Brynäs beat Färjestad 2-1 in Karlstad with a late goal by Tomas Slovak and got the last quarter final spot in the SHL playoffs. Luleå also earned a spot after beating Djurgården yesterday.

The SHL quarter final series:
Skellefteå (1) - Brynäs (10)
Linköping (4) - HV 71 (5)
Växjö (3) - Örebro (6)
Frölunda (2) - Luleå (8)

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