SHL Playoffs: Rogle hammer Vaxjo on the road to take control of semi-final

Albin Sundsvik (right) celebrates his hat-trick goal
Albin Sundsvik (right) celebrates his hat-trick goalJonas Ljungdahl / Bildbyran Photo Agency / Profimedia

Rogle have won a sixth Swedish Hockey League (SHL) playoff match in succession, and done so in emphatic fashion, beating Vaxjo 6-0 away from home to take a 2-0 lead in their semi-final series, as Albin Sundsvik grabbed a hat-trick.

Their unprecedented series comeback against Farjestad was backed up by a come-from-behind 5-3 win away in game one of the semi-finals, and they have further strengthened their credentials with a second away victory in Vaxjo in three nights.

In a slow burner of a first period, there had only been nine shots on goal before space opened up in the final minute, allowing Calle Sjalin to shoot, and when his effort was saved, Sundsvik was quickest to react to force home the rebound at put Rogle in front.

And the result was all but put to bed in a four-minute spell midway through the game. First, Daniel Zaar set up Sundsvik for his second, before Calvin de Haan's strike from the blue line was tipped on its way into the net by Josh Dickinson.

Vaxjo's night could be summed up with Sundsvik's hat-trick goal less than two minutes into the final period. Mattias Goransson dumped the puck behind the Lakers' net, but a strange bounce off the boards took it away from goaltender Ludvig Persson, allowing Sundsvik to tap into the empty net.

Zaar was involved in that move, and he picked up his third assist with a little over eight minutes remaining by teeing up Filip Johansson to make it 5-0, before the humiliation for the hosts was complete.

After Manuel Agren was called for cross-checking, the fourth seeds scored their first powerplay goal of the evening, as Dickinson found Linus Sandin to make it 6-0 with just over three minutes to play.

Arvid Holm needed only make 16 saves to complete his shutout, while Persson and Adam Ahman both conceded three goals and made nine saves, as Rogle scored 25% of their shots on target.

Vaxjo must now put this heavy home victory behind them and win one of the next two matches, both to be played in Angelholm, to stop the red-hot Rogle from winning the series with a clean sweep. Game three will be played on 12th April.

Follow the SHL playoff semi-finals on Flashscore.