Färjestad extended its winning run to 13 matches with a 3–1 victory over Djurgården in Karlstad on a tense evening that featured a mass brawl and two match penalties.
The physical confrontation erupted midway through the second period after Färjestad goaltender Emil Larmi collided with Djurgården players near the bench during a delayed penalty, according to SVT Sport. All skaters on the ice immediately converged into a large pile. The incident began when Emil Larmi was heading to his bench during a delayed penalty and collided with two Djurgården players, leading to a fight with Oliver Wahlström while Emil Larmi and Oliver Wahlström both received two-minute minor penalties for roughing.
Djurgården goaltender Daniel Marmenlind also attempted to join the fight but was stopped by a referee.
When order was restored, newly acquired Färjestad defenseman Petteri Lindbohm and Djurgården defenseman Nikolas Brouillard engaged in a fight that earned both players match penalties for fighting.
“It’s hockey. That sort of thing is fun, it got my pulse up at least,” Larmi told SVT Sport.
Brawl triggers penalties
Studio expert Sanny Lindström criticized the officials on TV4, stating that the fighting majors were unnecessary in Swedish hockey. “Stop handing out match penalties and being so damn silly in Swedish hockey. There were no match penalties,” Sanny Lindström told TV4. Lindbohm blamed the intensity on a culinary mishap the night before. “He cooked pasta for us yesterday. There might have been too much chili in it. I got too heated and it kicked in today,” Lindbohm joked to Expressen. “I should have remembered that you get penalized quite easily in the Swedish league,” Lindbohm said. “We were going to play on the power play, and then something suddenly happened with our goaltender, the other Finn. Then it easily happens that everyone goes in to defend, and then one thing led to the other. It wasn’t planned, not at all like that. It’s just something that happens,” Lindbohm added. Brouillard disputed his own punishment after receiving the match penalty alongside Lindbohm. “I know you aren’t allowed to fight in this league, I didn’t want to fight. I was used as a punching bag,” Brouillard told Aftonbladet.
“He hit me six or seven times in the face, I didn’t hit him at all. I understand why he got a match penalty, but I don’t understand why I got one.”
“We collided. He stared at me, I stared back. Then I got a glove in the face and thought: are we doing this? It was the first time I fought a goaltender. There are no fights in this league, there should be. It’s part of the game. I don’t get why they got match penalties. They fought with their gloves on, I haven’t seen that before. It’s crazy,” Wahlström told Aftonbladet.
“For me it was a hug, I tried to get out of the situation. I didn’t have much to do in the match, so it helped me get going,” Larmi told Aftonbladet. “Every fight I’ve been in during my career I haven’t started, but I’m the first to join in,” Larmi said.
When asked if Djurgården players thought he exaggerated when he fell, Larmi responded: “They’ve thought that every match, even when I didn’t play. That explains a lot. It’s nothing I focus on. They can focus on that, and we can focus on the points.” The Finnish goaltender was surprised by Wahlström’s actions, stating, “I didn’t see it coming at all.”
Lodin seals victory
The score remained tight after the penalty trouble subsided. Per Åslund opened the scoring for Färjestad with two minutes left in the first period, according to Expressen. Djurgården equalized in the third period before Viktor Lodin scored his 12th goal of the season with 3 minutes and 33 seconds remaining on the clock, securing a 2–1 lead for the hosts.
Joakim Nygård later added an empty-net goal to finalize the 3–1 scoreline.
The defeat halted a three-match winning streak for Djurgården prior to the league break. Färjestad’s victory train rolls onward as the team prepares for its next fixture while holding the longest active streak in the SHL.
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