Brynäs and Linköping both belong to the bottom quartet that is already fighting desperately to get up and away from the stressful qualifying line and it is a swaying journey they are out on where self-confidence, the game and thus the results fluctuate here and there.
But then suddenly comes an evening where everything works and this was such an evening for Brynäs, who made one of his best hockey matches so far this season.
The home team put heavy pressure on the guests' cage from the first second, parked sometimes in front of Marcus Högberg in the Linköping goal and received a dividend for their intense play.
Hedberg netted first
The first goal came after 8.45 when Brynäsbacken Tom Hedberg shot and the puck looked through the cluster of players, bounced through the front post and in over the goal line.
The puck had time to be cranked out and be pushed into the goal once more, but it was of course the first turn over the finish line that was counted and gave 1-0 to Brynäs after a while of video review.
The Gävle team increased to 2-0 just before the first break as well, after a headless change of Linköping that gave Tom Hedberg the opportunity to turn the game around and both surface and time for Linus Ölund to net, although not quite as the Brynäs forward had intended.
- I saw the change, shout that we should drive, get the puck and then it is the classic "aims high but gets a hit" that happens and then the puck goes in along the ice instead, says Ölund with a laugh to C More after the season's fifth SHL- goals from his club.
A goalless second period seemed to be followed for a long time by a ditto third, but Linköping really lifted their game in the final period and reduced by just over six minutes left to full time through a control by Christoffer Ehn.
Safe punishment
A minute later, however, Brynäs captain Anton Rödin was blocked on his way to the Linköping goal and received a penalty.
Rödin laid the penalty himself, squirmed forward and finally flicked with a safe wrist in 3-1.
As if that were not enough for Linköping, the guests almost immediately took on an expulsion for puckout as well, after which Oscar Eklind closed the match with 4-1 in powerplay for Brynäs.
Brynäs fans could thus rejoice at the team's first three points since September 25 and the happiest of all in Gävle was probably Victor Andrén - Brynäs goalkeeper who after three losses as starting goalkeeper during the autumn now finally got to celebrate a victory
Linköping, on the other hand, may continue to chase a three-pointer away from home.
Östgötarna have so far only two penalty wins away to rejoice at and it does not hold to advance up the table.