Emil Larsson scored the decisive goal in overtime to give MoDo a win in the opening game of the HockeyAllsvenskan quarterfinals. The victory came despite MoDo's head coach Fredrik Andersson being suspended for the game due to a dispute with referees, with sportchef Gradin stepping in as his replacement. MoDo's defense, including players like David Rundblad and August Berg, struggled during the contest, though forward Tyler Kelleher's individual brilliance was key to their success. The game was played before a sparse crowd, with around 3,000 empty seats reported at Hägglunds Arena. AIK was more homogeneous and secure than MoDo over the full 60 minutes.
Entering the playoffs, MoDo was considered a favorite before the season but had become somewhat of an underdog, while AIK had won five of their last six games and saw Christoffer Björk return to their squad late in the season. The eight teams competing in the quarterfinals were Björklöven, Kalmar, Karlskoga, MoDo, AIK, Nybro, Södertälje, and Oskarshamn, with Södertälje and Oskarshamn advancing via play-in matches. Södertälje defeated Mora 2-0 in matches, with scores of 2-0 away and 6-1 at home, while Oskarshamn beat Almtuna 2-0, winning 4-3 in overtime away and 5-3 at home. The quarterfinals are best-of-seven series with a H-H-B-B-H-B-H format where the higher-ranked team has home-ice advantage, and specific games were scheduled from March 15 to March 22, 2024.
It's tough to lose and I think we were the better team from the second period onward.
In the first quarterfinal game, AIK's performance was noted, and attendance issues were evident.
MoDo quickly built momentum in the series, winning the second quarterfinal game 5-1 against AIK. They then took the third game 4-2, with goalie Adam Werner making a spectacular save against Christoffer Björk. These victories gave MoDo a commanding 3-0 lead in the quarterfinal series, meaning AIK needed to win four straight games to advance.
Adam Werner is a very good goalie.
AIK mounted a comeback attempt in the fifth quarterfinal game, with Oliver Johansson scoring two goals and Ludwig Blomstrand netting the decisive goal.
For the sixth quarterfinal game, MoDo made key lineup changes, starting goalie Jakob Hellsten instead of Adam Werner and bringing in Carl Mattsson for his first playoff appearance. Emil Larsson was suspended for four games due to a tackle on AIK's Sid Boije, missing this contest, while Boije himself was injured and absent, and John Dahlström returned for AIK. AIK fans added to the drama by playing a song mocking MoDo players as 'movie stars' and using pyrotechnics before the game.
I know nothing about diving accusations.
Specific incidents during the series included Emil Larsson scoring the winning goal directly after a face-off, making the score 1-0. In the third period, MoDo's David Rundblad made leg contact against AIK's Jesper Emanuelsson as he exited the zone, leading Emanuelsson to limp off while the crowd shouted 'diver', and Rundblad received a two-minute penalty for tripping. AIK tied one game 3-3 early in the third period, with Daniel Ljungman credited for the goal after a puck bounce. Johan Andersson, who took over as AIK's coach last month, oversaw these efforts.
In the semifinal series against Karlskoga, MoDo tied the series at 2-2. Karlskoga players accused MoDo players August Berg and Oscar Pettersson of diving, with Hampus Plato specifically accusing Pettersson and Åke Stakkestad alleging that Berg dives, stating that everyone in Swedish hockey knows he does it. Berg and Pettersson were previously fined for diving in the quarterfinal series against AIK. In one semifinal game, Sebastian Ohlsson, Kyle Topping, and Måns Carlsson scored goals for MoDo, with the 1-0 goal occurring 1 minute and 8 seconds into the second period on a counterattack where Gerry Fitzgerald passed to Victor Berglund, whose shot deflected off Gustaf Thorell and went in, leaving Karlskoga keeper Lars Volden with no chance.
The team was a bit taken by the moment's seriousness in the first period against Karlskoga.
MoDo won that semifinal match and leads the series 1-0. Emotions ran high, with multiple fights breaking out at the final signal, and game two is scheduled at Nobelhallen in Karlskoga with puck drop at 18:00 on Friday.
Reactions to the diving controversies have been pointed, with Karlskoga players vocal in their accusations. In response, Oscar Pettersson stated that MoDo focuses on playing hockey and winning games, not on such accusations, while August Berg claimed to know nothing about them.
The implications of these events include potential coaching adjustments and player suspensions. Fredrik Andersson's suspension for the first quarterfinal game forced MoDo to adapt quickly under sportchef Gradin. Meanwhile, Emil Larsson's four-game suspension for his tackle on Sid Boije impacted MoDo's lineup in later games.
Several unknowns persist in the aftermath of these playoff games. The specific incident that led to Fredrik Andersson's suspension remains unclear, as does the nature and severity of Sid Boije's injury that caused him to miss the sixth quarterfinal game. It is also unknown what disciplinary actions, if any, were taken against AIK fans for setting off fireworks outside MoDo players' hotel, or what the exact fines were for Berg and Pettersson's diving.
The series status and outlook suggest a competitive finish to the playoffs. MoDo's ability to overcome coaching suspensions and defensive struggles has positioned them as a resilient contender, while AIK's late-season surge and comeback attempts showcased their potential. With the semifinals ongoing and diving accusations simmering, the focus remains on on-ice performance and discipline.