Frölunda HC defeated Luleå HF 3-2 in overtime to win their record-extending fifth Champions Hockey League title in the 2025/26 final at Scandinavium in Gothenburg—their first in six years (previous wins: 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020). Jere Innala scored the power-play winner after Luleå tied it with 16 seconds left in regulation. Coach Robert Ohlsson inspired a turnaround by evoking players' childhood dreams, while Luleå finished runners-up for the second time in four seasons.
This all-Swedish CHL final was only the second in history, after Luleå's 4-2 win over Frölunda in 2015. Both teams entered with uneven form: Frölunda, struggling in the SHL with just two wins in 11 games and no goals over eight periods beforehand (including a 7-3 loss to Luleå), advanced past Brynäs in the semis. Reigning SHL champions Luleå had lost in penalties to Skellefteå recently.
The first period was goalless amid physical play, with Frölunda outshooting Luleå 5-1. Officials intervened in scuffles, including between Max Lindholm and Markus Nurmi.
In the second, Luleå gained a power play after Jere Innala tripped Nurmi, but Frölunda struck shorthanded: Nicklas Lasu intercepted a pass for a breakaway goal past Matteus Ward with one second left in the advantage, making it 1-0.
Luleå equalized early in the third as Eetu Koivistoinen tipped Mathias Bromé's shot past Tobias Normann (upheld after video review). Frölunda regained the lead on a power play after Oskari Laaksonen's cross-checking penalty; Henrik Tömmernes fired from range, deflected by Jacob Peterson for 2-1. Further physicality ensued, with an altercation between Tom Nilsson and Isac Hedqvist, and a controversial penalty on Innala drawing boos and 'Filmare' chants from the home crowd.
Luleå surged late, tying it at 2-2 with Otto Leskinen's top-corner shot off Brian O'Neill's pass with 16 seconds remaining, forcing 3-on-3 overtime.
Thirty-five seconds into OT, Bromé was penalized for holding, and Innala blasted a Tömmernes-assisted power-play goal past Ward for the 3-2 win.
Bromé contested the call: 'Jag tycker att han hakar mig först... det är en billig utvisning.' Ohlsson credited his halftime talk: 'Det handlade mer om att locka fram ett barndomsminne hos killarna och se möjligheter faktiskt,' calling it a turning point after their SHL slump: 'Vi har haft en tuff period i SHL, så vi är jätteglada.' Key contributors included Lasu, Max Friberg, and Tömmernes, with massive home support. The victory boosts Frölunda's shot at an SHL-CHL double while denying Luleå a second title.
