Season opener: HV 71 – Frölunda

2008-09-15 kl 23:06

HV 71, last season’s champions, took on top-picked Frölunda at home Thursday night. What was billed as a tight match, turned out to be a high scoring 6-2 HV win. Second period penalties were Frölunda’s downfall in the 2008/2009 season opener.

The match started out with high energy from both teams, but HV 71 seemed a little nerve racked in front of their home crowd and Frölunda took advantage of that early in the first period. At 5.32 Lars Eller beat Stefan Liv to give a 1-0 lead to the visiting team. 2 minutes later came the first of many HV 71 power plays. As Toni Söderholm sat on the bench for holding HV appeared to tie it at one. But since Head referee, Sören Persson, didn’t see the puck cross the line he immediately signaled for a video review. The review seemed inconclusive so the video judge could not rule a goal. Frölunda’s lead didn’t last though because Per Gustafsson tied at one with his first of 3 goals for the night. Gustafsson lifted the puck into the zone right towards goalie Johan Holmqvist. Holmqvist was caught off guard and Gustafsson’s dump-in/shot slipped through the 5-hole tying it at one a piece. HV 71 took the lead (2-1) with 2 minutes left in the first period by a goal from David Fredriksson.

The second period was definitely not Frölunda’s. HV was able to increase their lead to 4-1 with 2 PP goals before Frölunda could get on the board with a PP goal of their own. But that was short-lived after 2 more PP goals came from HV 71 sticks before the end of the period. HV went into the locker room with a 6-2 second period lead . 

Noteworthy: Frölunda pulled Holmqvist for Ari Ahonen after HV 71’s 5th goal. Per Gustafsson (below) scored 2 of the 4 second period goals. Those added to the one in the first period gave him the hat-trick. 

Frölunda tried to get back in it in the 3rd but HV’s defense was just too tight keeping the visiting team frustrated in the middle zone. HV 71 starts this season off just like they ended last season, with a victory!

HV 71-Frölunda HC 6-2 (2-1, 4-1, 0-0)

Period 1
0-1 05:32 Lars Eller (Erik Karlsson)
1-1 11:02 Per Gustafsson (David Petrasek)
2-1 17:58 David Fredriksson (David Petrasek, Yared Hagos)

Period 2
3-1 02:30 Per Gustafsson (David Petrasek, Johan Davidsson) 5 on 4
4-1 07:37 Björn Melin (Mikko Luoma, Pasi Puistola) 5 on 4
4-2 13:33 Toni Söderholm (Andreas Holmqvist, Lars Eller) 5 on 4
5-2 16:23 Martin Thörnberg (Jukka Voutilainen, Johan Davidsson) 5 on 4
6-2 17:56 Per Gustafsson (Martin Thörnberg, Johan Davidsson) 5 on 4

Period 3
No scoring

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Craig Berndt
Redaktör, Hockeyligan.se