Frölunda has long been the closest hunting team behind the series sovereign Luleå, who still leads SHL by a clear margin.

But lately it has been more difficult for the reigning Swedish champions. It was a victory on penalties most recently away against Linköping, but 1-4 in today's meeting against Luleå meant the Gothenburg Club's fourth clear loss in the last five rounds.

The situation is so critical that Roger Rönnberg's team is seventh in the table, in other words outside the quarterfinals.

Set the tone immediately

Even after a period of play, it looked bleak for the guests who went to sleep in the 0-2 sub-mode.

Petter Emanuelsson put 1–0 for Luleå in powerplay before Nils Lundkvist, who this week became SHL's best junior junior back, increased to 2-0 with his seventh goal of the season.

When Isac Brännström did 3-0 in the middle period, the game felt decided. Nicklas Lasu was admittedly noted for a reduction goal for Frölunda with one and a half minutes left to play - but the last word got Luleås Erik Gustafsson who from a long distance set the final score to 4-1 in the empty box.

- This is a message of strength, states Luleå's goalkeeper Joel Lassinantti in C More after the final signal.

"Really good"

- I think we make the best performance of the season today. Even though we have moments in our own zone, we do not stress ourselves. Really good, he continues.

Luleå has lined up an impressive suite in the Coop Norrbotten arena and is now up for ten straight wins at home corn. The last team to fall in their own home city was against Skellefteå on penalties on December 17 last year.

- That's how we want to play. There is no reason why we should not. It's just to keep going, says Lassinantti.