HV71 finally earned their first win of the SHL season by beating Leksand on Tuesday night. At the top of the table, Frölunda kept rolling with a home victory over Brynäs. Read about that and more in tonight’s SHL roundup! There was also action worth noting in Sweden’s second-tier league. Washington Capitals prospect Milton Gästrin and draft-eligible Elton Hermansson both had strong outings, each recording two goals and an assist as MoDo defeated Troja. Frölunda HC 3-1 Brynäs IF Despite a strong start from Brynäs, it was Frölunda who carried a 1–0 lead into the first intermission. Max Lindholm struck on the power play for the home side, as Brynäs’ penalty kill continues to be an issue. Brynäs still looked sharper than in previous games, with Anaheim Ducks prospect Lucas Pettersson among the players showing the most jump in the opening period. “It’s 1–0 on the scoreboard for Frölunda, but I think we did a lot of good things we can take with us into the second period.” He continues: “We’re playing with intensity, getting pucks deep and forechecking them hard a number of times, so that’s something we can build on,” says Ducks prospect Lucas Pettersson to TV4 after the first period. Brynäs continued to play well in the second period, but just like in the first, it was Frölunda who found the net. Max Lindholm struck his second power-play goal of the night six minutes in. At that point, Brynäs’ penalty kill was running at a dreadful 38%, the worst of any team in Europe’s top leagues. Things got even worse in the final minute of the frame when Arttu Ruotsalainen scored on a breakaway to make it 3–0 Frölunda. Brynäs kept pressing in the third period and pulled one back to make it 3–1 six minutes in. It wasn’t enough, though, as Frölunda held on to take all three points in Gothenburg. Part 4: Draft-Eligible Prospects to Watch in Sweden [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/4950855a-da44-4e1b-8de4-eb4b1d1e450a.jpeg] Part 4: Draft-Eligible Prospects to Watch in Sweden The Hockey News International wraps up its series spotlighting draft-eligible players to watch in Sweden. The series profiles 40 intriguing prospects, with Parts 1–3 available below. [https://thehockeynews.com/international/players/part-4-draft-eligible-prospects-to-watch-in-sweden] HV71 2-1 Leksands IF It took seven games, but HV71 finally picked up their first win of the season. HV is a club with strong fan support and a proud history of success in the 2000s, which also means the pressure on the team is high. The victory brings a huge sense of relief and some breathing room for head coach Anton Blomqvist, who is not ready to be shown the door just yet. Linköping HC 0-2 Färjestad BK Linköping also entered Tuesday’s game under heavy pressure. Coming in with just one win, they suffered yet another loss against Färjestad. Luke Philp opened the scoring for Färjestad with five minutes left in the second period. He then added his and the game’s second goal in the third. That stood as the final tally, giving Färjestad all three points. Skellefteå AIK 4-3 Luleå HF Skellefteå picked up their second straight win by beating rival Luleå at home on Tuesday. The home side came out strong and scored the first two goals of the game. Luleå fought back and tied it 3–3 early in the third period. But the player of the game, Mikkel Aagaard, had the final say, scoring to make it 4–3 Skellefteå later in the period. It was Aagaard’s third goal of the night. Timrå IK 1-2 Rögle BK (OT) Both Timrå and Rögle have enjoyed strong starts to the season. The visitors from Skåne came out on top tonight, winning 2–1 in overtime. Daniel Zaar played the hero in the extra frame, scoring off a fine setup from Lucas Ekeståhl Jonsson. Örebro HK 4-3 Djurgårdens IF Newly promoted Djurgården have had a positive start to the season. They also managed to take the lead on the road against Örebro through Charles Hudon eight minutes into the game. Örebro, however, turned it around to secure just their second win of the year. It was an important victory for the team from Närke. MoDo Hockey 6-3 Troja/Ljungby (HockeyAllsvenskan) MoDo were relegated from the SHL last season and have had mixed results to start the year in Sweden’s second-tier division. Against Troja, however, there was no doubt about the outcome. It turned into a night to remember for Washington Capitals prospect Milton Gästrin and draft-eligible Elton Hermansson. Gästrin scored twice and added an assist, giving him four goals and five points through his first five games. Elton Hermansson made his professional debut with MoDo on Sunday and was trusted with another opportunity on Tuesday. He made the most of it, scoring two goals and adding an assist. Hermansson was all smiles after the game. “Of course I’ve dreamed about being out there and playing. To score a goal on top of that is just incredible. It was a great play from Milton and Jesper Olofsson. Milton got it to the net, the puck dropped behind, and I knocked it in. It was a simple finish for me,” said Elton Hermansson to TV4 after his magical night. Washington Capitals Prospect Excels in Sweden [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/663e298b-8495-4d10-b846-b09bda6b4985.jpeg] Washington Capitals Prospect Excels in Sweden <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals">Washington Capitals</a> 2025 second-round pick Milton Gästrin is off to a strong start to the season. Gästrin scored in the season opener last Friday as he embarks on his first professional campaign in Sweden’s second-tier league, HockeyAllsvenskan. Caps fans have every reason to be excited. [https://thehockeynews.com/international/players/washington-capitals-prospect-excels-in-sweden]
