On Sweden’s SHL Game Day 4, Detroit Red Wings prospect Noah Dower-Nilsson scored in his season debut. His goal set the tone for Frölunda’s win over defending champions Luleå.

After four games, Växjö sits atop the standings with nine points, while HV71 and Linköping are still searching for their first win of the season.

Linköping HC 0 – Skellefteå AIK 4

Linköping continue to struggle. Their fourth game brought a fourth straight loss, adding more pressure on new head coach Mikael Håkansson. Just five minutes in, LHC already trailed 3–0 at home against Skellefteå. Ahead of the second period, they switched goalies as Waltteri Ignatjew replaced Jesper Myrenberg, but the change made little difference. Skellefteå closed out a comfortable 4–0 win.

“We’re hollow. We think it’s the Soviet team we’re playing against. I don’t get how we can collapse like that after just one goal. Incredible. We go silent and our heads drop, it’s just not good enough. It’s like we have 17 kilos on our shoulders when we play. It’s only been three games into the season, just skate a bit,” said Linköping’s Fredrik Karlström to TV4 after the first period.

Rögle BK 4 – Leksands IF 0

Rögle grabbed a 1–0 lead 11 minutes into the first period on a bouncing puck that Linus Sjödin managed to put away. Just two minutes later, new signing Mark Friedman doubled the lead with a shot that Leksand goaltender Marcus Gidlöf would surely want back. Friedman was back in the spotlight in the third period when he wrestled with Gabriel Fortier in front of Leksand’s net. Lucas Ekeståhl-Jonsson then sealed a 4–0 Rögle win with a blast from the blue line.

Timrå IK 1 – Färjestad BK 0

Timrå’s goaltender Jacob Johansson was perfect in a low-scoring game. It took 50 minutes before the first goal arrived, when Anton Wedin struck on the power play after a setup from Jonathan Dahlén. The goal was a fitting way for Wedin to celebrate his 200th SHL appearance. It was a big win for Timrå, who have now taken three victories from their first four games of the season.

Brynäs IF 4 – Örebro HK 3 (SO)

Brynäs lost their first two games of the season but is back to winning ways. They looked set for three points late in the third period before Örebro tied the game with 3:26 remaining. Former Anaheim Duck Jakob Silfverberg missed a penalty shot in overtime, but Brynäs eventually sealed the win in the shootout.

SHL: Anaheim Ducks Goalie Prospect Shines A couple of NHL goaltending prospects impressed in Thursday’s SHL action. Anaheim Ducks prospect Damian Clara helped put an end to Brynäs’ defensive struggles by posting a shutout. It was a much-needed performance for Brynäs, who had allowed 14 goals across their first two games. For Färjestad, Utah Mammoth prospect Melker Thelin delivered a strong showing as he helped his team to a 5–2 win.<b> </b>

Frölunda HC 4 – Luleå HF 1

Thursday featured a heavyweight clash at Scandinavium as Frölunda hosted Luleå. The visitors struck first through Markus Nurmi, but Frölunda quickly replied. Detroit Red Wings prospect Noah Dower-Nilsson was in the right spot and ripped a wrist shot from the slot to tie the game. Drafted 73rd overall in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Dower-Nilsson’s goal set the tone for Frölunda, who took the lead before the end of the period. The Gothenburg side went on to win 4–1, extending their perfect start to the season with three straight victories.

Malmö Redhawks 3 – HV71 2

HV71’s rough start to the season continued on Saturday night with a fourth straight loss,a this time against Malmö. HV71 carried a 2–1 lead into the third period, but Malmö turned the game around. Petter Vesterheim and Carl Persson scored two minutes apart early in the final frame, securing all three points for Malmö. They now sit on five points after four games.

“It’s obviously a disappointment. I don’t like how we handled the beginning of the third period. We started flipping pucks around and didn’t get deep or help each other out. When they got their first goal we became a bit shaky and never really found our way back into it,” said HV71’s coach Anton Blomqvist to TV4 after the game.

Växjö Lakers 4 – Djurgårdens IF 0

Newly promoted Djurgården entered their matchup against Växjö with two straight wins, but Växjö proved too strong and cruised to a 4–0 victory. With the win, Växjö now sits atop the standings with nine points through four games.

“This game is a step back for us,” said former New Jersey Devil Jacob Josefson to TV4 after the game.

Part 3: Draft-Eligible Prospects to Watch As the new season gets underway, The Hockey News International continues its look at 40 draft-eligible prospects to keep an eye on in Sweden. This is part three of four, highlighting several intriguing dark horses who could play their way into the draft conversation.