Modo Hockey won 2-1 against BIK Karlskoga in the Hockeyallsvenskan playoff semifinals opener on BIK's home ice. Goalkeeper Jakob Hellsten, selected over Adam Werner by coach Fredrik Andersson, made crucial stops despite BIK's 34-? shot advantage. Modo played compact defense to secure the road victory.
BIK Karlskoga hosted Modo in the semifinal series opener but couldn't overcome the visitors' resilience, losing 2-1. Modo took the lead through a play involving Victor Berglund and Gerry Fitzgerald, aided by a puck bounce. They minimized errors with only two penalties and protected their lead patiently.
Coach Fredrik Andersson chose Jakob Hellsten in net after his quarterfinal shutout, calling it 'ett enkelt val' (an easy choice) due to Hellsten's form. Hellsten faced more shots than in his prior game—BIK dominated with 34 attempts—but delivered key saves, especially in the third period against unscreened shots. 'Jag fick lite mer att göra idag,' Hellsten said, crediting the defense for clear views. Andersson praised his reliability: 'Han har varit fantastiskt bra,' noting endurance for the playoff schedule.
Despite the win, Andersson critiqued Modo's puck play: 'Inte en av våra bättre matcher,' citing turnovers, though the result builds momentum. BIK, entering after sweeping Nybro 4-0, has reached semifinals five times in six years but never a final, with past promotion failures like a 0-4 loss to Rögle in 2016/17.
Game two is set for Friday, where BIK aims to even the series and Modo looks to leverage Hellsten's momentum.
