Djurgården secured a 3-1 victory over Leksand in the SHL at Tegera Arena, marking their third straight win and fifth in the last six games. Goaltender Magnus Hellberg was pivotal, stopping 27 of 28 shots for a save percentage over 96 percent. Goals for Djurgården came from Håvard Salsten, Jacob Josefson and Charles Hudon.
The game, played on Saturday evening, saw Djurgården improve to 9-2 in matches started by Hellberg this season. It was their second win against Leksand in two weeks, following a 3-2 comeback victory in the previous meeting. The scoreline reflected periods of 0-1, 0-1 and 1-1, with Leksand mounting pressure in the second period but failing to capitalize.
Hellberg, who has been key to Djurgården's recent success despite an early-season 11-2 loss to Frölunda, praised the team's resilience. "Otroligt kul. Jag tycker att vi har en bra känsla i gruppen. Fick väl jobba lite extra i andra perioden men det är så det är ibland. Otroligt skön vinst," he told TV4. He noted Leksand's frustration: "Leksand kom ut hårt i andra perioden och testade oss. Där kände jag som målvakt att man verkligen vill stå emot. Jag märkte att Leksands spelare blev väldigt frustrerade och började skrika lite på varandra."
Djurgården's goals were scored by Salsten in the first period, Josefson in the second for a 2-0 lead, and Hudon in the third. Leksand's lone goal came late, preventing Hellberg's shutout. Absences impacted both sides: Djurgården missed back Joey LaLeggia, who is becoming a father, and Oliver Kylington due to illness, while Leksand welcomed back forward Max Veronneau but lacked goaltender Marcus Gidlöf and others like Marcus Karlberg.
Player ratings highlighted strong performances for Djurgården, with Hellberg earning a 9/10, Josefson and Hudon at 8/10 each. For Leksand, only a few players like Olle Strandell and Lukas Vejdemo received above-average marks, with several described as underperforming or invisible.