Brynäs dropped to 11th place in the SHL standings after surrendering a three-goal lead in a 5–4 loss to Färjestad at Monitor ERP Arena on Oct. 29, 2026, prompting Johan Larsson to lock the locker room door for a tense internal meeting. The Gävle club now sits just three points above Linköping, who occupy the relegation playoff zone, following a disastrous October that yielded four consecutive losses and seven defeats by a single goal across nine matches.
The collapse unfolded during a chaotic second period in Gävle. After Per Åslund opened the scoring for the visiting league leaders from Värmland, Brynäs roared back with three unanswered goals from Milton Gästrin, Johan Larsson, and Axel Rindell to claim a 3–1 advantage. But the momentum evaporated rapidly as Färjestad struck three times in a span of just over three minutes. Jack Berglund started the comeback before Viktor Lodin took over the game entirely, completing a hat-trick to push the visitors ahead 5–3. A late response from Oskar Lindblom brought Brynäs within one, but the home side failed to find an equalizer.
Lodin Drives Färjestad Past Gävle Rivals
Viktor Lodin’s offensive masterclass anchored Färjestad’s surge, lifting the forward to 11 goals on the season and cementing his status as the SHL’s leading goalscorer. TV4 hockey expert Petter Rönnqvist praised the performance after the final horn, telling the network that Lodin is playing phenomenally and driving the team forward from the front. The victory extended a dominant stretch for the league leaders, who entered the contest on a five-game winning streak with a 20–6 goal differential.
Statistics show that the gap between the two clubs has widened considerably during the autumn schedule. While Färjestad solidified their grip on first place with 33 points, Brynäs languishes in the table with 15 points. The loss marked the seventh time in October alone that Gävle dropped a contest by a solitary goal, continuing a frustrating trend of narrow margins.
Closed Doors and Captain’s Verdict in Gävle
Following the final whistle, Johan Larsson delayed media availability as he stood as the last player to enter the Brynäs locker room. The door remained closed for fifteen minutes while players addressed the team’s ongoing struggles face-to-face. Emerging from the summit, Larsson told Sportbladet that the group needed an honest airing of grievances after letting another win slip away.
We said what we thought to each other,
Larsson said outside the locker room. Much is quite good anyway. But unfortunately, we drop our level too much in the second period there. Ten minutes in the second, when they get to turn the match around.
When asked about the team’s inability to string together a complete 60-minute effort, Larsson admitted the squad is still searching for answers to its recurring mid-game lapses. I don’t know. It’s a good question. If one had known that… It’s perhaps a matter of playing a bit smarter once you’ve scored a goal and so on. That you learn from it and think things through a bit extra,
he said.
Upcoming SHL Schedule Before the International Break
Brynäs will look to halt their slide before the league pauses for international play. The club travels to face Djurgården away on Oct. 31, 2026, marking their final fixture before the domestic schedule breaks. Subsequent league matches include a home date against Skellefteå on Nov. 12 and an away trip to face Björklöven on Nov. 14.
