SHL Hockey: Mora IK survive the playoffs to play another season in the SHL

04 Apr 2018 | Adrian Jervis

Equal in drama to the fight for first position, the SHL Qualification Series sets the bottom teams in the SHL against the top teams in the Hockey Allsvenskan. This year Mora IK played against a Leksand IF team supported by import players from the German DEL to try to ensure qualification into the higher division.

Buoyed from their qualification win against Oskarshamn, Leksand IF ripped into home team Mora IK, who had had a two week break since the end of their season, in the first match of the series. The team from Allsvenskan knocked five goals in with the reliable Johan Porsberger scored two, both times assisted by German Daniel Pietta to run out winners 5-2.

The second match was tighter and whilst import player Austin Madiasky opened the scoring for the home team, Leksand, it was 24 year old Swede Jacob Nilsson who would score the winning goal for the visitors as Mora won 3-2.

That win away from home seem to change the balance of the games, and especially for Mora keeper, Christian Engstrand who would only let in two more goals in the rest of the series. Whilst Leksand at times played the better hockey, they failed to find the net and Mora never gave up threatening riding out the challenges victorious. They scored seven goals in those last two games with line-mates Czech David Kaše and American Andrew Rowe who scored the most with two goals and two assists each in the series. More importantly, however, the SHL qualification was secured for Mora IK with 4-1 in matches.