Södertälje Sportklubb beat Kalmar 2-1 in game four of their HockeyAllsvenskan quarterfinal at Scaniarinken, evening the series. Patrik Zackrisson and William Wiå scored for the hosts, with Kalmar replying late. Coaches and players praised the passionate crowd.
Södertälje came out strongly in the first period, outshooting Kalmar 17-4 but remaining scoreless. The breakthrough came in the second period when Patrik Zackrisson scored on the power play. William Wiå added a second goal in the third, before Kalmar pulled one back in the closing minutes for the 2-1 final score. This victory tied the best-of-seven series at 2-2 after Södertälje lost the first two games at home, per the reports, though earlier games are referenced indirectly through context of tension building since game three when George Diaco provoked the crowd and fans awaited Kalmar's bus, requiring a police escort. The series now shifts to Kalmar for game five on Monday, with Södertälje hosting game six on Wednesday if necessary. SSK coach Andreas Johansson described it as '60 bra minuter slutspelshockey' (60 good minutes of playoff hockey), noting strong play across all periods and improved power play. Forward Henrik Eriksson echoed this, calling it a 'stark seger, viktig seger' (strong win, important win) and highlighting the fans' role: 'Det blir en extra kraft' (it becomes an extra force). Johansson added, 'De ska ha en stor eloge. Fantastiskt' (they deserve great praise. Fantastic). Kalmar's Wilhelm Westlund acknowledged SSK's strong start: 'De kommer ut hårt och får bra momentum.' He appreciated arena energy but stressed it should stay there: 'Det ska stanna i arenan.' SSK goaltender Niclas Westerholm made key saves. Analyst Adam Gunnarsson called it 'slutspelshockey när den är som bäst' (playoff hockey at its best), noting the series as the most entertaining quarterfinal amid other sweeps. Both sides emphasized recovery between intense games.
