Serieledande Frölunda cruised to a 6-1 victory over Djurgården at Hovet, capitalizing on numerous penalties to extend their dominance in the matchup. Djurgården suffered early setbacks with match penalties to key players and staff, leading to a first-period collapse. Despite the loss, DIF coach Robert Kimby praised his team's effort against the top-ranked side.
The SHL encounter at Hovet in Stockholm saw Frölunda replicate their earlier 11-2 thrashing of Djurgården from September, this time winning 6-1 on a day marked by disciplinary issues for the home side. Just one and a half minutes in, Djurgården center Håvard Salsten received a match penalty for a head tackle on Frölunda's Arttu Ruotsalainen, who was forced to leave the game. This set the tone, as Frölunda capitalized during the extended power play, with Henrik Tömmernes scoring the 1-0 goal in a 5-on-3 situation after back Jesper Pettersson added a slashing penalty.
Djurgården's woes deepened in the first period, conceding three more goals within 61 seconds to trail 4-0. Goaltender Magnus Hellberg was pulled after the period, replaced by Daniel Marmenlind, who stopped 19 of 21 shots. Frölunda added two more in the second and third, including three power-play goals and one in a 6-on-5 scenario. Djurgården's lone tally came from Anton Frondell, reducing the deficit to 4-1 and earning him top billing in post-game ratings alongside Victor Eklund.
Penalties plagued Djurgården, totaling 59 minutes to Frölunda's eight. Assistant coach Michael Holmqvist was ejected with a 2+20-minute penalty and match ban for unsportsmanlike conduct toward officials at the start of the second period, stemming from frustration over the 0-4 deficit. "They came and said we got a two. Someone had to step off. That's it," said Djurgården head coach Robert Kimby.
Frölunda coach Robert Ohlsson noted his team's preparedness for physical play: "I talked a lot with the players beforehand about being ready for physical hockey against Djurgården at Hovet." Kimby remained optimistic: "I think we played a good game despite the 6-1 loss. We have fire out there that we can build on." The defeat marked Djurgården's sixth straight home loss, despite 24 consecutive sellouts at the arena.
Player ratings highlighted Frondell and Eklund's strong showings for Djurgården, while Marmenlind earned praise in relief. Frölunda's efficiency in special teams proved decisive against a depleted Djurgården side missing captain Marcus Krüger, who was in Chicago for a Blackhawks reunion, and injured players Oliver Kylington, Charles Hudon, and Oula Palve.
