Djurgården fell 3-1 to Malmö in the decisive third game of the SHL eighth finals at Malmö Arena, ending their season one win short of the quarterfinals. Young stars Victor Eklund and Anton Frondell expressed disappointment and uncertainty about their futures, while injured captain Marcus Krüger delivered an emotional speech. The loss came after Djurgården's 3-2 overtime win in the opener.
Djurgården's playoff run concluded with a 3-1 defeat to Malmö in the third and deciding match of the SHL åttondelsfinalen on March 18 at Malmö Arena. The series began with Anton Frondell's overtime winner giving Djurgården a 3-2 victory at home, but Malmö won the next two games to advance. Victor Eklund, Djurgården's 18-year-old forward, recorded three assists in the opener and finished the SHL season with 24 points (6 goals, 18 assists) in 43 games. After the loss, Eklund said, 'Tråkigt så klart. Man spela hockey så länge som möjligt. Speciellt med Djurgården. Nej, det är tufft.' He expressed interest in continuing his season in North America, potentially with the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate Bridgeport, noting recent talks with Islanders GM Mathieu Darche. 'Planen för mig är att jag skulle vilja åka över säsongen, så klart, och prova på att spela i AHL eller vad det nu blir,' Eklund told Hockeynews.se. Fellow prospect Anton Frondell, loaned from Chicago Blackhawks, scored 20 goals in the regular season despite missing time for JVM gold. Reports from The Athletic suggest Chicago may recall him for an NHL debut soon. 'Malmö är ett bra lag. ... Det är surt just nu. Jättetråkigt,' Frondell said. Captain Marcus Krüger, sidelined by injury, held an emotional post-game speech. Plagued by a nagging injury all season, he missed the final games and plans surgery. 'Det är tufft. ... Vi hade hoppats på en längre vår,' Krüger stated, uncertain about his future with Djurgården. Player ratings highlighted strong efforts from Magnus Hellberg (8/10), Philip Holm (7/10), and Ludvig Rensfeldt (7/10, scored Djurgården's goal). Prospects like Viggo Björck also shone amid the loss.
