SHL roundup: Nine Frolunda players on scoresheet in thrashing of Djurgarden

Linus Hogberg (right) celebrates with Noah Hasa
Linus Hogberg (right) celebrates with Noah HasaBildbyran / ddp USA / Profimedia

Two players scored braces and a further seven got on the scoresheet as Frolunda went top of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) standings and maintained their perfect start to the season with an 11-2 hammering of Djurgarden away from home.

Djurgarden won their opening two matches after returning to the SHL before suffering a 4-0 loss to Vaxjo at the weekend, before their good start was declared well and truly over back on home ice last night.

It took until the 18th minute for Frolunda to break the deadlock through Filip Cederqvist, but Max Friberg making it a quickfire double just over a minute later really put the away side in the driving seat.

They looked to have failed to capitalise early in the second period, as Albin Grewe pulled a goal back for the home side, but another two goals in less than two minutes - this time from Filip Hasa and Henrik Tommernes - midway through the match put the Gothenburg side back in control.

August Berg scored his first goal since the opening night to reduce the deficit to 4-2, only for Jacob Peterson to regain the three-goal lead in the final minute of the middle period.

This time, the goal at the end of the period opened up the floodgates, as Jere Innala made it 6-2 early in the third, before Max Lindholm and Linus Hogberg made it 8-2 with a little over 10 minutes to go, with the first 10 goals of the match scored by 10 different players.

Friberg and Hogberg both added their second goals of the game soon after, before Theodor Niederbach became the ninth Frolunda man to get on the scoresheet with the last goal of the game.

The 11-2 victory is Frolunda's fourth win out of four this season - all in regulation time - thus they sit atop the standings on 12 points. Unsurprisingly after last night's result, their 19 goals scored is the most in the league, while no one has conceded more than Djurgarden's 22.

However, the newly-promoted side are in a respectable ninth place, with six points.

Frolunda's third victory was not by such a significant margin, but perhaps better indicated their title credentials as they beat Lulea 4-1. The champions' record matches Djurgarden's, with two wins followed by two losses this season.

Vaxjo's win over Djurgarden now sees them sit second on nine points as they returned to winning ways. A 1-0 win over Farjestad is the latest of three victories on the bounce for Timra, who sit third, also on nine points, while Farjestad have dropped to fifth, two points further back.

Rogle's 4-0 win over Leksand has moved them into fourth, and despite only picking up one point from their last two matches, Leksand complete the top six.

Defeats to Skelleftea and Malmo, respectively, were the latest losses for Linkoping and HV71, who are both still looking for their first points of the new SHL season.

Review the full SHL results and standings on Flashscore.