We are back with more Champions Hockey League Flashback games in the New Year and since January is the month that Semi-Final ties are usually played, we will be reliving some of the most thrilling duels from over the years. Starting us off is the 2014/15 Semi-Final return leg game between Skellefteå AIK and Luleå Hockey.
Skellefteå, now a familiar name in the league, entered the newly formed CHL as a feared powerhouse. Their four SHL finals appearances in four years and two Swedish Championships in the last two years struck fear into their opponents’ hearts. They were quick to show their strength on the ice as well, decisively winning their opening five games of the calendar to qualify for the Round of 16 with ease. There they were matched with Finns JYP Jyväskylä.
Despite losing the first leg they managed to tie the series in the return leg and drag the game to OT and win the subsequent shootout to advance onto the Quarter-Finals to face fellow Swedes Linköpings HC. Once again, it was to be a tough tie. Skellefteå won the first leg but fell a goal behind in the return leg. Undecided in regulation, the game went to OT and sometime later both teams were lining up for a shootout to decide their fates. Skellefteå once again prevailed - rightfully earning their spot in the Semi-Finals against Luleå.
Luleå were also a team with a distinguished pedigree entering the inaugural 2014/15 CHL season – not only did they make the SHL Finals in 2012/13, they also won the European Trophy the same year. They had experience on the international stage and hit the ground running.
Just like Skellefteå, they won their opening five matches of the season, infamously thrashing the Nottingham Panthers 10-1 on the road and 9-1 at home. They comfortably qualified for the Playoffs with a goal difference of +26, the highest of all teams in the Group Stage!
But their sky-high confidence was soon to be knocked back down to Earth by their Round of 16 opponents, Red Bull Salzburg. Luleå suffered a surprise 4-2 defeat in front of their home crowd and struggled to win the series in the return game. Despite the tie ending 7-5 for Luleå after 60 minutes of game time, it still wasn’t enough to win them the game, so OT was needed and subsequently a shootout. Luckily, Luleå’s nerves of Swedish steel gave them the edge they needed to come out on top and secure their spot against Lukko Rauma in the Quarter-Finals.
Compared to their struggles in the previous elimination round, this tie was less dramatic. Luleå fought off their Finnish opponents both home and away and returned to their winning ways just in time to face their strongest opponent yet – Skellefteå.
This all-Swedish matchup was eagerly anticipated. Both Skellefteå and Luleå knew each other from their domestic league and had lined up against each other in the Swedish Championship Finals two years prior. Luleå gained the upper hand thanks to an early goal one and a half minutes into the tie, but Skellefteå tied the game 1-1 by the end of the second period and were leading 2-1 early into the third. It was all going their way, Skellefteå were withstanding attack after attack as precious minutes ticked away, but a crucial penalty mistake by Martin Ševc gave Luleå a powerplay opportunity. With a minute of game time left, Luleå tied the game 2-2 and levelled the playing field for the return leg.
After such an evenly matched first leg, who came out on top in the do-or-die return leg? Catch the game live tonight at 19:00 CET to see for yourself!