After 18 months with more or less empty stands, the Court’s stands were once again in full swing. Two of Sweden’s absolutely strongest spectator teams collided directly in the first SHL round since corona restrictions were lifted and just as expected, it marked the match picture between Djurgården and Leksand.
In an intense meeting, the guests started best and would take the lead almost immediately – but it was a goal that must be set on the tour account. Calle Själin fired a shot that Djurgården’s Mantas Armalis saved, but no better than the return ended up straight in the neck on the hill Tom Nilsson whereupon the puck bounced into his own goal.
Djurgård supporters supported however, not together for it but highlighted his team in an intense equalizer hunt. Both new Matthew Lorito and Linus Andersson had great opportunities to equalize, but both times Leksand’s goalkeeper Kasimir Kaskisuo stood in the way.
– For the first time since the spring of 2020, it was almost full at the Court.
Photo: Pontus Lundahl / TT
However, the Finnish new acquisition would have to capitulate, and that only 38 seconds into the second period. Marcus Sörensen broke through centrally, shot in the plexiglass but took back the puck and served Marcus Högström at the blue line. Djurgårdsbacken fired a shot that found its way into the net after a lot of traffic in front of Kaskisuo.
The rest of the period, however, belonged to Leksand. The away team dominated the game and barely let Djurgården borrow the puck for long moments, but luckily for the home team, Mantas Armalis had one of his better days at work. Despite the shooting statistics 4-15 in the second period, the position was still 1-1 before the third – something that would soon change.
Djurgården did not hang at all with after Patrik Zackrisson sent the puck in the post and in the subsequent sequence found Max Veronneau completely alone at the far post. The Canadian had plenty of time to get the puck in order before he made it 2-1 in a more or less open goal.
With four minutes left, Veronneau struck again and set the final score at 3-1 for Leksand. Under new coach Barry Smith, Djurgården has so far not got the game right and against Leksand it hacked properly in the last two periods.
Leksand has otherwise had a hard time against Djurgården in recent years and had not taken a three-pointer against the team at Hovet since Thursday night’s meeting since 2014.
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