After withstanding a late Linkoping HC comeback, Skelleftea AIK won their quarter-final series in a shootout and they will continue playing in the chase for European club hockey supremacy. 

Skelleftea AIK 4–4 Linkoping HC

Skelleftea win 6–5 (SO) on aggregate | WATCH highlights here

by Derek O'Brien

SKELLEFTEA – Skelleftea AIK are through to the semi-finals, but they sure haven't taken the easy route there. In the eighth-finals they had to rally with two late goals and eventually won in a shootout. This time, in the quarter-finals against Linkoping HC, they allowed two late ones to force overtime. For the second straight round, they're advancing after a shootout victory.

Skelleftea entered their home half of the series with a one-goal lead, and in each of the first two periods Linkoping took the lead in the game – tying the aggregate score – but each time Skelleftea replied.

"I like taking unexpected shots," Skelleftea's Daniel Widing said about his first period marker. "I saw that (goaltender David Rautio) went down on his knees and I had some luck."

When Skelleftea took a 3–2 lead in the game – and 5–3 aggregate lead – midway through the third period, it looked like they might finally be pulling away, but with 5:36 to play Adam Pettersson took a costly five-minute kneeing penalty and a game misconduct. That gave Linkoping the opening they needed and their big guns scored twice – first Jakob Micflikier and then, with Rautio out to give his team a two-man numerical advantage, Broc Little banked in the tying goal off Erik Hanses and in to tie the aggregate score and send the game to overtime.

"It was an even game in Linkoping and an even game today so it is logical that it's decided in a shootout," acknowledged Linkoping captain Magnus Johansson. "It's fun to play in the CHL. I understand many follow the games on TV. I had hoped we could advance, but unfortunately not."

They didn't, because after a scoreless overtime period American Rob Schremp scored the only goal of the shootout – freezing Rautio with a fake and then backhanding the puck upstairs. Hanses stopped all five Linkoping shooters he faced to secure the victory.

"We want to win this tournament," Martin Lundberg said afterward, looking ahead to the northern Swedish derby in the semi-final. "It will be extra fun to play Lulea. Then there will hopefully be more people in the seats."