After 51 matches each, the final standings in the SHL will come down to the last game of the season. The results in those matches will determine who wins the regular season; who will have to play an extra match in the playoff ; and, who will will stay in the SHL but not get a part in the playoffs.
Positions 1 and 2
Luleå HF must win in regulation and Färjestad BK lose, otherwise the Karlstad club win after their 3-0 home win over Luleå on Tuesday. If Färjestad's Joakim Nygård, pictured, scores two goals he could also take over the goal scoring competition from Djurgården's Emil Bemström.
Positions 6 and 7
Malmö Redhawks must win in regulation and Skellefteå AIK lose if the Skåne team are to go sixth. Both play matches against teams where they are not automatically favourite to win. In the unlikely event Skelleftea's Joakim Lindström scores eight points in the game against Rögle BK he could take the Total Points competition off Frölunda Indians, Ryan Lasch.
Positions 10 to 12
Only two points separate Örebro HK, Brynäs IF and Linköping HC, but one club will get to play playoff hockey this year. Permutations are complicated but if we just talk about straight regulation wins and losses we can see that:
If Örebro win they are through.
If Brynäs win and Örebro lose they are through.
If Linköping win and both Örebro and Brynäs lose they are through.
What's going to happen?
Looking at the fixtures, I would go for Färjestad, Malmö and Örebro as the teams most likely to triumph in their quest for first, sixth and tenth spot.
Thursday's matches (with teams involved in must win games, highlighted):
Luleå v Växjö
Rögle v Skellefteå
Mora v Timrå
Färjestad v Djurgården
Malmö v Örebro
HV71 v Linköping
Frölunda v Brynäs
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