SHL Playoffs: Vaxjo reach semi-finals while Rogle on the comeback trail

Reid Gardiner broke the deadlock for Vaxjo
Reid Gardiner broke the deadlock for VaxjoJonas Ljungdahl / Bildbyran Photo Agency / Profimedia

Vaxjo have become the second team through to the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) playoff semi-finals after beating Brynas to complete a 4-1 series win, while having been 3-0 down, Rogle are now just one win behind Farjestad in their quarter-final series.

Rogle again had to win to keep their season alive, and could not have wished for a better first period, which was not five minutes old when Albin Sundsvik attacked down the left and had teammates queuing up for his pass to the middle, which Mark Friedman collected and buried past the goaltender.

Things got better for the home side in the 18th minute, then Farjestad coughed up possession at centre ice, which was stolen by Daniel Zaar. He needed time to get the puck under his control, but he held his nerve and fired it home for 2-0.

Farjestad looked to have recovered their groove as the midpoint of the match approached when Oskar Steen found the net following Jack Berglund's setup, only for Rogle to restore the two-goal cushion through Filip Johansson just under three minutes before the break.

Before the second period was over, there was time for seven players to be sent to the penalty box for fighting, and for the visitors to channel their aggression into another goal, as Per Aslund found the net to end a real goalmouth scramble.

In the third period, FBK's indiscipline cost them - Radim Zohorna was punished for high-sticking early on by Zaar's second of the game on the powerplay, and after a spate of penalties midway through the period, Johansson finally took advantage to complete his brace with eight minutes to play.

Farjestad didn't give up and took off the goaltender, only for Anton Bengtsson to win the puck and find the empty net, with six minutes still remaining.

The visitors conceded 10 two-minute penalties in the final period alone, therefore it was little surprise the Angelholm side added another powerplay goal in the final minute, courtesy of Paul LaDue, who rounded off a resounding 7-2 win. The pair will meet again for a huge game six later this week.

Vaxjo have joined Skelleftea in the last four by knocking out last season's runners-up Brynas, winning 2-1 at home in game five to complete a 4-1 series victory.

Great interplay between Erik Andersson and Kalle Kratz unlocked the Brynas defence midway through the first half, before the latter shovelled the puck across to give Reid Gardiner a simple finish.

The Lakers failed to make use of a powerplay soon after, as Luke Witkowski was called for cross-checking, before the visitors dominated the second period with 13 shots on goal to just two, but failed to take advantage, leaving the score 1-0 to the hosts with 20 minutes to play.

Brynas were punished for not taking their chances, as despite Keegan Lowe was penalised for roughing, Karl Henriksson broke away and set up Hugo Gustafsson to make it 2-0 with a shorthanded goal.

The visitors pulled one back through Oskar Lindblom with nine minutes to go, but it was too little too late for the Gavle side who bow out at this stage. As third seeds, the Lakers are sure to avoid Skelleftea in the last four.

Follow every SHL playoff match on Flashscore.

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