Djurgården leads 1-0 in the SHL SM-slutspelet åttondelsfinalen against Malmö following a 3-2 overtime victory at home. The team boarded a bus to Malmö on Wednesday afternoon with a full roster of 27 players, including those who were injured or unavailable for the first game. Coach Robert Kimby emphasized team unity ahead of Thursday's matchup.
Djurgården departed for Malmö after lunch on Wednesday, carrying 27 players for the second game of their SHL playoff round-of-16 series. The squad holds a 1-0 advantage after Daniel Marmenlind stopped 30 of 32 shots in the 3-2 overtime win at Hovet on Tuesday evening. Marmenlind is expected to start again, as Magnus Hellberg missed the opener due to illness. When asked about Hellberg, Kimby said, “Det kan nog vara så att han är med,” hinting at his possible availability without confirmation. Hellberg did not travel on the initial bus, but hopes remain for his recovery by game time. The traveling group includes injured players like Arvid Costmar and Albin Grewe, who were absent from game one. Marcus Krüger attempted to play through an injury sustained since February 26 but managed only six shifts before exiting in the first period. Kimby noted, “Han fick kliva av igår. Det funkade inte,” leaving his status uncertain. Linus Klasen and Oula Palve, neither dressed for the opener, are also on the bus and ready if needed. Hugo Hävelid returned from a loan at Nybro but remained with that team for their Allsvenskan playoff quarterfinal against BIK Karlskoga. Kimby praised the team's effort in the opener: “Överlag tycker jag att laget lägger ner en väldigt bra arbetsinsats. Det är en tajt match.” Looking ahead, he anticipates a strong response from Malmö at home, recalling Djurgården's 5-2 regular-season win there on January 31. “Det kommer att bli en tuff match... Det gäller för oss att kontrollera mittzonen lite bättre,” Kimby added, stressing physical play and puck battles.
