Last beaten in the league on 15th November, Frolunda closed out 2025 with 11 SHL wins in succession, and that run only looked like extending into 2026 when they were 2-0 up inside 14 minutes, thanks to strikes from Dominik Egli and Filip Hasa.
But Vaxjo had other ideas, and were back level again come the end of the second period - Eemeli Suomi got them on the board within two minutes of the restart, before Frolunda conceded a rare shorthanded goal to Dennis Rasmussen in the final minute.
The Lakers then dominated the third period, registering 11 shots on goal to two, but they could not find a way through. Overtime could not seprate them either, and after Filip Cederqvist scored the first penalty for Frolunda, the next five were all missed, giving the visitors a narrow 3-2 victory.
It's the third time in six matches that the Gothenburg side needed a shootout to keep their run going, while Vaxjo stay fourth after a first loss in three.
It's the first time in weeks that Frolunda's lead has been cut, albeit from 15 to 14 points, after Skelleftea came from behind early on to eventually stroll to a 6-2 win at Farjestad.
Jonathan Pudas was on target twice for Skelleftea who have recorded back-to-back wins either side of New Year, while it's successive losses simultaneously for Farjestad, though they have come against the top two teams.
Third-placed Rogle came under real pressure at strugglers Orebro, but goals in the final 11 minutes from Fredrik Olofsson and Lubos Horky turned a 3-2 defeat into a 4-3 victory, returning to winning ways to stay three points behind Skelleftea, as Orebro stay third from bottom.
A brace from Janne Kuokkanen and 21 saves from Marek Langhamer gave fifth-placed Malmo a 5-0 win over Linkoping, who dropped out of the Playoff places at the expense of Brynas, who held off a late challenge from Lulea to win 4-2 and end the visitors' five-match winning run.
Charles Hudon's overtime goal means Djurgarden are only outside the top six on goal difference as they edged ninth-placed Timra 3-2, while the battle of the bottom two went the way of Leksand, who held on for a 5-4 win over HV 71 to move within two points of their relegation rivals.
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