Skellefteå will face Örebro in the semifinals. A playoff-routine team against another that only once before, in 2021, advanced so far in the Swedish Championship playoffs in ice hockey.
"Of course it's important to have a little routine, so you know what's going on. We have a lot of players who have been in many and in many playoffs – and Örebro is probably a little thinner on that side. On the other hand, it is hockey that should be played out there and it is important to be the better team to win, says Skellefteå's Pär Lindholm to SVT Sport after the training session in the home arena.
Even more SAIK supporters are expected to make it to it on Saturday when the semi-final series begins. Tickets were released on Thursday morning and the pressure to buy a seat was high.
"Now it's starting to heat up a lot when it comes to the semi-finals. We've had a good season and a lot of people expect us to go to the semi-finals, finals. Now we're going to fucking go all the way, that was a long time ago. I think the whole city wants this," says Melker Karlsson.