SHL roundup: Top two return to form as Leksand make late bid for survival

[p]Bottom-of-the-table [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/leksand/6X2ODGwL/"]Leksand[/a] looked dead and buried during the league's 12-day break earlier this month after one win in eight, but after getting the better of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/skelleftea/8jdWygW7/"]Skelleftea[/a] in overtime in midweek, they followed that up with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/leksand-6X2ODGwL/orebro-Y3RLgQQn/?mid=4MhE72GF"]3-0[/a] victory over 12th-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orebro/Y3RLgQQn/"]Orebro[/a].[/p][p]It took until the 37th minute for the opening goal to arrive,[b] and crucially it was Leksand who broke the deadlock through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vejdemo-lukas/ry7IiKR5/"]Lukas Vejdemo[/a], and that goal gave the home side all the momentum going into the third period, which they utilised in the third minute, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lang-oskar/bimNKgKo/"]Oskar Lang[/a] added a second.[/b][/p][p]Orebro had got the better of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/frolunda/pAG4OqEE/"]Frolunda[/a] in overtime last time out, but they showed no sign of a repeat performance, and after they threw on an extra attacker in the final minutes, [b]Leksand took advantage, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/veronneau-max/IPDFDbCm/"]Max Veronneau[/a] tucked away the empty-net goal.[/b][/p][p][b]For the visitors it's just one win in their last six after failing to find a way past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gidlof-marcus/x4rkHDkK/"]Marcus Gidlof[/a], who made 26 saves in the shutout.[/b] The gap between the two is now seven points and, significantly, Leksand have a game in hand.[/p][embed guid="6650bf23-ef5a-441b-820a-e6fe5a3d27b3" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2025278342962835753" social-type="twitter" /][p]Sitting between the two and still level on points with Orebro are [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hv-71/CG08m2ie/"]HV 71[/a], who were beaten [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/frolunda-pAG4OqEE/hv-71-CG08m2ie/?mid=QVXvg31M"]5-1[/a] by Frolunda at home,[/b] as the league leaders but their three-match losing run to bed, with all six goals arriving in the second period.[/p][p]Not only were their six different scorers, but no player was involved in more than one goal, [b]meaning 15 players picked up one point each across the two teams.[/b][/p][p]There were six goals in one period in [b]Skelleftea's match with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/farjestad/4b1TBPb8/"]Farjestad[/a], as the home side also put their recent disappointment behind them by racing into a 4-2 first-period lead, before two more strikes in the final period rounded off a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/farjestad-4b1TBPb8/skelleftea-8jdWygW7/?mid=r7459Oo3"]6-2[/a] victory.[/b][/p][p]Skelleftea remain second on goal difference, while Farjestad slip to ninth following three defeats in their last four.[/p][embed guid="4a70aa55-5b9b-461c-b199-7782c3636750" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2025265083010437428" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vaxjo/hzXCSnCE/"]Vaxjo[/a] are edging closer to joining the two leaders in confirming a top-six finish, they now have a 16-point cushion over seventh place with 21 points left to play for after a fourth win in a row, [b]holding off a third [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/malmo/pO1SCzgR/"]Malmo[/a] comeback to win [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/malmo-pO1SCzgR/vaxjo-hzXCSnCE/?mid=M1JAmsPq"]4-3[/a] and consign the sixth-placed Redhawks to a fifth loss in six.[/b][/p][p]The Lakers' cause was aided by [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lulea/0QhOwF1e/"]Lulea[/a], who moved above Malmo and into fifth by beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brynas/MZgKvenk/"]Brynas[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/brynas-MZgKvenk/lulea-0QhOwF1e/?mid=ITCJoLgd"]4-3[/a] after a shootout.[/b] 15 successive penalties had been missed before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tardif-benjamin/OYQ7zNEF/"]Benjamin Tardif[/a] won it for Lulea, their third win in four as Brynas remain seventh, three points outside the coveted top six.[/p][embed guid="ce88d30c-c5c9-492c-9c5f-83a53b20f3c1" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSA57OiHSv8" social-type="youtube" /][p]There was a much shorter shootout in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/linkoping/8njZmM61/"]Linkoping[/a], as [b]Rogle scored two of their three penalties to register a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/linkoping-8njZmM61/rogle-j5ve8f1r/?mid=U3vWfPW9"]4-3[/a] victory over their hosts[/b]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sandin-linus/xj6jrOtB/"]Linus Sandin[/a] scored in both regulation and the shootout to earn the visitors a first win in three, as Linkoping sit 11th after three consecutive defeats.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/timra/KC8bDdOE/"]Timra[/a] have climbed to eighth and have closed the gap on the top six to seven points by edging [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/djurgarden/Q7UY6Hrs/"]Djurgarden[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/djurgarden-Q7UY6Hrs/timra-KC8bDdOE/?mid=0hvAes5U"]2-1[/a].[/b] It's three wins on the bounce for Timra, while the Stockholm side have followed up four wins with a pair of losses that keeps them 10th, with a six-point cushion to the chasing pack.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/sweden/shl/"]Follow the final rounds of the SHL regular season on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]