Ice hockey play-offs — can Skellefteå go all the way?

Skellefteå AIK has won the Le Mat Trophy, the pinnacle of Swedish hockey, on three occasions and has, rather incredibly, reached the championship playoffs in 15 out of the past 16 seasons, claiming the Swedish championship title twice during this period. 

This season, Skellefteå AIK, finished second in the SHL — the Swedish Hockey League — and now competes in the playoffs in an effort to become Swedish champions.

The quarter-finals of the championship playoffs start on Thursday, March 16, and here is all you need to know about the next few weeks.

Play-off qualifiers:

1. Växjö Lakers (Växjö)

2. Skellefteå AIK (Skellefteå)

3. Färjestad BK (Karlstad)

4. Örebro Hockey (Örebro)

5. Timrå IK (Timrå)

6. Frölunda HC (Gothenburg)

7. Luleå HF (Luleå)

8. Rögle BK (Ängelholm)

Over the last week, four teams played the round of sixteen to qualify for the quarter-finals. Luleå beat Oskarshamn and Leksand lost to Rögle in the best of three games. Since Skellefteå finished second in the regular season, they are now battling against Rögle to reach the semi-finals.

Action from AIK's play-off win against Frölunda last year,.

Foto: Erland Segerstedt/TT

The quarter-finals are played as the best of seven games.

The quarter-final series:

Växjö Lakers – Luleå

Skellefteå AIK – Rögle

Färjestad BK – Frölunda HC

Färjestad BK – Örebro HK
 

Skellefteå AIK's quarter-final schedule:

16/3 19.00: Skellefteå AIK – Rögle

18/3 15.15: Rögle – Skellefteå AIK

20/3 19.00: Skellefteå AIK – Rögle

22/3 19.00: Rögle – Skellefteå AIK

(if needed) 24/3 19.00: Skellefteå AIK – Rögle

(if needed) 26/3 15.00: Rögle – Skellefteå AIK

(if needed) 28/3 19.00: Skellefteå AIK –Rögle
 

The semi-finals are played between March 31st and April 13th between the four winners of the quarter-finals.

The Swedish championship playoff finals are played, also as best of seven games, between April 15th and April 29th.

All matches will be shown on Cmore.