SHL Play-out: HV 71 on brink of survival after third straight win over Leksand

[p]Two victories by a single goal had put [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hv-71/CG08m2ie/"]HV 71[/a] in a strong position, but a first away game in the series would be a true test, even if [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/leksand/6X2ODGwL/"]Leksand[/a] welcomed them on the back of four losses in a row.[/p][p]What was in store at Tegera Arena was a hard-fought, aggressive battle - cross-checking five minutes in saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rindell-axel/00HzHLb4/"]Axel Rindell[/a] handed a game misconduct penalty, one of seven penalties conceded in a goalless opening 20 minutes.[/p][p]The second period was barely more sedate, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johansson-anton/jJldOfJa/"]Anton Johansson[/a] making it 1-1 for players dismissed after he produced an illegal check to the head, [b]but eventually, a hockey match broke out, and with just over a minute left in the period, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ang-jonathan/bc63MVGA/"]Jonathan Ang[/a] struck the vital go-ahead goal for HV.[/b][/p][embed guid="4a8b0811-bc3b-4490-b3bf-049a7d567cd2" url="https://x.com/SHLse/status/2035803370963792002" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]That allowed the Jonkoping side to carry all the momentum into the third period, which they made the most of, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/luoto-joona/rXKaA35E/"]Joona Luota[/a] doubled the lead with just over 15 minutes to play.[/b][/p][p]Inside the final four minutes, Leksand finally made use of a powerplay when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vejdemo-lukas/ry7IiKR5/"]Lukas Vejdemo[/a] struck for the second time in as many matches, but just as in game two, it was too little too late for Leksand, whose [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/hv-71-CG08m2ie/leksand-6X2ODGwL/?mid=r5CnTjxp"]3-1[/a] loss was confirmed when Luota added his second with an empty-netter with one second left.[/p][p]Leksand must now win four games in a row to avoid relegation to the HockeyAllsvenskan, starting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/hv-71-CG08m2ie/leksand-6X2ODGwL/?mid=GIAfRU6d"]game four[/a] on 24th March. A win in that game, or any others in the series, will ensure a third play-out survival in as many seasons for HV 71.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/sweden/shl/"]Follow the SHL postseason on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]