Luleå forward Brendan Shinnimin promises to settle the score on the ice against Skellefteå assistant coach Andreas Falk in the SHL playoff semifinals, following their March tunnel confrontation where Falk shoved him—ruled as provocation by the SHL, which cleared Shinnimin and fined Falk 15,000 SEK.
The bad blood between Brendan Shinnimin and Andreas Falk dates back to a first-intermission tunnel clash during Luleå's regular-season game against Skellefteå in late February. Falk approached Shinnimin from behind, verbally accosting him before grabbing his arm and shoving him into a media wall. Shinnimin responded with a punch deemed self-defense by the SHL disciplinary committee, which fined Falk 15,000 SEK while clearing the Luleå forward.
Now, with the teams facing off in the SHL playoff semifinals, Shinnimin is focused on revenge through performance. Speaking to NSD, he said, “He really did [cross the line], but I'll take my revenge on the ice with an important goal or similar. I'll probably never get an apology from him, but I'm okay with that.” Shinnimin credits his composure in the incident for getting under Falk's skin and drawing penalties on two Skellefteå players.
With four points in nine playoff games so far, the veteran forward plans to stay disciplined while unsettling opponents. “I'll keep getting under their skin and fight hard for our team,” he added. Luleå players had anticipated this heated matchup, and Shinnimin believes discipline will be key: “The team that manages to stay on the right side of the line will definitely win the series.”
