SHL roundup: Skelleftea shut Frolunda out to knock long-time leaders of top spot

[p]Not only had the three previous meetings between the two this season gone the way of the away side, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/frolunda/pAG4OqEE/"]Frolunda[/a] had lost their last four at home. [/p][p]Those positive omens for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/skelleftea/8jdWygW7/"]Skelleftea[/a] didn't pay dividends in a scoreless first period, even if they did survive a 5-on-3 late on in what was a penalty-heavy opener, but come the midpoint in the match, the visitors finally broke the deadlock.[/p][p][b]After good work around the net from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lindholm-par/AJK89sPK/"]Par Lindholm[/a], Frolunda failed to clear, allowing a determined [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnsson-andreas/043KOsZu/"]Andreas Johnson[/a] to force the puck over the line.[/b] Skelleftea gave the hosts every chance to restore parity, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bryggman-lars/boWd01ar/"]Lars Bryggman[/a] was twice penalised either side of the 40-minute mark.[/p][p][b]Yet despite 23 shots on net, Frolunda failed to find a way past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mann-strauss/GrPMFgFm/"]Strauss Mann[/a], who added another impressive shutout to his collection, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hugg-rickard/UwnzCOS7/"]Rickard Hugg[/a] sealed things with an empty-netter late on for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/frolunda-pAG4OqEE/skelleftea-8jdWygW7/?mid=WWxg0K8k"]2-0[/a].[/b][/p][p]With a sixth win in their last seven, coupled with the Gothenburg side's poor form, Skelleftea have made up the double-digit deficit they had a month ago to go three points clear in first place.[/p][embed guid="76e9f1d9-3fa1-4bf8-a7e1-745f0def3a83" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2027099347565817917" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vaxjo/hzXCSnCE/"]Vaxjo[/a] remain the side with the best form in the SHL[/b] and are now only eight points shy of Frolunda with six rounds to play, after two from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gardiner-reid/Qato2gFm/"]Reid Gardiner[/a] and one from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/suomi-eemeli/4bcgigNT/"]Eemeli Suomi[/a] were enough to hold off a late fightback from [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/linkoping/8njZmM61/"]Linkoping[/a] to win [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/linkoping-8njZmM61/vaxjo-hzXCSnCE/?mid=4py1bbw2"]3-2[/a],[/b] as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kovacs-robin/UotuH0B0/"]Robin Kovacs[/a] netted twice late on.[/p][p]It's five wins in a row now for the third-placed Lakers, while five successive losses has prevented Linkoping from mounting a playoff challenge.[/p][p]Putting real pressure on the top six are [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brynas/MZgKvenk/"]Brynas[/a], who are only a point behind the automatic quarter-final places thanks to two [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kinnvall-johannes/rk6vA7YA/"]Johannes Kinnvall[/a] penalties in the shootout, which secured a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/brynas-MZgKvenk/rogle-j5ve8f1r/?mid=jgqlKu0L"]2-1[/a] victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rogle/j5ve8f1r/"]Rogle[/a][/b], who remain fourth after one win from their last four, all of which went beyond 60 minutes.[/p][p]And the side Brynas are closing in on are [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/malmo/pO1SCzgR/"]Malmo[/a], who were second best in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/malmo-pO1SCzgR/orebro-Y3RLgQQn/?mid=riOSCche"]4-1[/a] home defeat to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orebro/Y3RLgQQn/"]Orebro[/a][/b]. It's three losses in regulation time in a row now for the Redhawks, while that second win in three takes the visitors three points clear of the bottom two.[/p][embed guid="a8366e8c-f685-4a66-b328-ad47681268c5" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2027111208835297353" social-type="twitter" /][p]While Skelleftea put in the defensive performance of the night, [b]the best attacking display belonged to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lulea/0QhOwF1e/"]Lulea[/a], who sit in fifth place, four points clear of Brynas after a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/lulea-0QhOwF1e/timra-KC8bDdOE/?mid=O0WzByN7"]7-3[/a] home win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/timra/KC8bDdOE/"]Timra[/a]. [/b][/p][p]The home side fell behind, but five goals without reply sent them on the road to a sixth win in their last eight, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andreasson-pontus/b3kuqqnB/"]Pontus Andreasson[/a] grabbed two goals in a devastating second period, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nurmi-markus/O0TLEqg1/"]Markus Nurmi[/a] was the top point scorer, thanks to four assists.[/p][p]That ends a three-match winning run for Timra, who sit in the 10th and final playoff place but still with a healthy eight-point lead over Linkoping.[/p][embed guid="a0c2137c-96ae-472d-988c-66a8f5310136" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2027084636459860307" social-type="twitter" /][p]Timra have dropped a place following [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/djurgarden/Q7UY6Hrs/"]Djurgarden[/a]'s first win in three, making their own claim for best defence of the round with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/djurgarden-Q7UY6Hrs/hv-71-CG08m2ie/?mid=zRKKEJNr"]4-0[/a] win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hv-71/CG08m2ie/"]HV[/a] 71,[/b] in which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hellberg-magnus/6X27NxtJ/"]Magnus Hellberg[/a] saved all 16 efforts that came his way. HV sit 13th after back-to-back losses.[/p][p]HV's cushion over [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/leksand/6X2ODGwL/"]Leksand[/a] has been cut to just three points, as the bottom side's three-game purple patch came to an end with a 3-2 loss after a shootout to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/farjestad/4b1TBPb8/"]Farjestad[/a].[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tomasek-david/xtkW4fH5/"]David Tomasek[/a] was the only player to score a penalty, as eighth-placed Farjestad move to within six points of sixth place.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/sweden/shl/"]Check out the latest SHL standings on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]