SHL roundup: Skelleftea seal regular season title as Leksand set for play-out

[p]A win of any kind would be enough for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/skelleftea/8jdWygW7/"]Skelleftea[/a] to finish top of the pile, but they were made to wait in front of their home support, [b]but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/linkoping/8njZmM61/"]Linkoping[/a] resistance finally broke in the 18th minute when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krogdahl-max/Uu5QmA17/"]Max Krogdahl[/a] broke the deadlock.[/b][/p][p]But the yellow & blacks had all but sealed victory by the midpoint of the game - [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hugg-rickard/UwnzCOS7/"]Rickard Hugg[/a]'s powerplay goal briefly opened the floodgates as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lindberg-valter/MJWGI6Zf/"]Valter Lindberg[/a] and then [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lundberg-arvid/rycFwaF6/"]Arvid Lundberg[/a] made it 4-0, but the visitors managed to weather the storm.[/b][/p][p]In fact, Linkoping briefly threatened a remarkable comeback, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ljungh-markus/lbNROS21/"]Markus Ljungh[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nybeck-zion/tGEj5Kwp/"]Zion Nybeck[/a] pulled two goals back to make it 4-2 with 11 minutes to play, only for Skelleftea to wrap things up in the final three minutes, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stjernborg-victor/IksTRyYi/"]Victor Stjernborg[/a] completed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/linkoping-8njZmM61/skelleftea-8jdWygW7/?mid=QVDHXUoD"]the scoring[/a].[/p][p][b]It's the sixth time Skelleftea have finished first in the regular season, only two of which - 2013 and 2014 - ended with them lifting the Le Mat Trophy.[/b][/p][embed guid="23449d42-fcab-43c5-b8c0-cef95f0c6f2d" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2032167335604170855" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was a second successive loss for 14th-placed Linkoping, [b]but they can breathe a little easier after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/leksand/6X2ODGwL/"]Leksand[/a]'s attempted great escape is all but over after their run of seven wins in eight came to a crushing end with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/leksand-6X2ODGwL/malmo-pO1SCzgR/?mid=8A7zljWg"]7-2[/a] loss at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/malmo/pO1SCzgR/"]Malmo[/a].[/b][/p][p]The Redhawks, chasing a top-six finish, were relentless in a first period which saw them 3-0 ahead. Leksand saved face by bringing the score back to 5-2, but with goal difference so pivotal, they pulled the goaltender late on, only for Malmo to score two more, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/viro-eemil/xUbXDETg/"]Eemil Viro[/a] netted twice.[/p][p]There remains three points between Linkoping and Leksand, but with the former having a superior goal difference, [b]Leksand need a three-point win, a Linkoping loss in regulation and a 15-goal swing on the final day to avoid the relegation play-out.[/b][/p][embed guid="dc1e8988-2b1b-44b0-8ae8-db6456e616c5" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2032161001471189161" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Following back-to-back victories, eighth-placed Malmo are one of four teams locked on 77 points as the race for the final two places in the top six will go down to the wire. [/b][/p][p]The big losers on the night in that race were [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lulea/0QhOwF1e/"]Lulea[/a], who dropped to seventh after throwing away a 2-1 lead at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rogle/j5ve8f1r/"]Rogle[/a] to lose [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/lulea-0QhOwF1e/rogle-j5ve8f1r/?mid=UPeqnU06"]5-2[/a].[/b] It's now four SHL losses in five for the reigning champions, while the Angelholm side have the chance to climb to third in the final round.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/farjestad/4b1TBPb8/"]Farjestad[/a] threw away a 2-0 lead at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/timra/KC8bDdOE/"]Timra[/a], but they ended the night overtaking Lulea to move into sixth place thanks to [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/berglund-jack/xCbot6Rh/"]Jack Berglund[/a]'s late winner that secured a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/farjestad-4b1TBPb8/timra-KC8bDdOE/?mid=xjaip8VI"]3-2[/a] victory and a third win in a row.[/b][/p][p]Clinging onto fifth place despite a third loss in a row are [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brynas/MZgKvenk/"]Brynas[/a], who were beaten [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/brynas-MZgKvenk/orebro-Y3RLgQQn/?mid=IP03eYwK"]3-1[/a] on the road at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orebro/Y3RLgQQn/"]Orebro[/a][/b]. That result and the final score in Farjestad had huge implications on the fight for the 10th and final playoff place, as a sixth defeat in a row saw Timra finally slip down and replaced by Orebro.[/p][p][b]Five wins in their last six has given Orebro a two-point cushion over faltering Timra ahead of meeting Linkoping on the final day.[/b][/p][embed guid="02bd1865-3c6c-4cce-a71d-c389a01211b9" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2032192239992992181" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vaxjo/hzXCSnCE/"]Vaxjo[/a] missed the chance to seal third place as they were on the upset of a surprise 3-0 win by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hv-71/CG08m2ie/"]HV 71[/a][/b], who ended a three-match losing streak that gives them hope of avoiding the wooden spoon. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lehtinen-lassi/pIMZchS4/"]Lassi Lehtinen[/a] made 23 saves to complete his shutout and inflict back-to-back losses on the Lakers.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/frolunda/pAG4OqEE/"]Frolunda[/a] are certain to finish second in the standings and again failed to reach the 100-point mark, going down [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/djurgarden-Q7UY6Hrs/frolunda-pAG4OqEE/?mid=U3K8ZjH0"]3-1[/a] at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/djurgarden/Q7UY6Hrs/"]Djurgarden[/a][/b], as the Iron Stoves began preparations for the eighth finals, and they are a guaranteed ninth-placed finish on their return to the SHL.[/p][p][b]The final round of matches in the regular season will be played at 15:15 CET on Saturday 14th March.[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/sweden/shl/"]Follow the final day of the SHL regular season on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]