Club Friendly· Season 2026
Kalmar HC beat Vimmerby Hockey 4-2 in their pre-season opener at Hatstore Arena, with Elliot Ekmark scoring twice in a dominant first period.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
The home side came flying out of the blocks in their first pre-season outing of the summer. Kim Johansson opened the scoring before Vimmerby's new signing Hampus Karlsson levelled to make it 1-1.
Kalmar responded emphatically. Elliot Ekmark struck twice before the first intermission, restoring the lead and then extending it to 3-1 inside a high-tempo opening period that left Vimmerby chasing the game.
"It was a classic pre-season match," Vimmerby captain Anton Carlsson told Aftonbladet's broadcast after the game. "Our first period was pretty mediocre. They came out hard and we struggled to deal with it. We were standing on our heels."
Vimmerby improved in the second period, and Adam Pettersson pulled one back to make it 3-2, giving the visitors hope heading into the final frame. But Viktor Smeds restored Kalmar's two-goal cushion with what proved to be the final goal of the evening, and the home side saw out the third period without conceding again.
"We raised the tempo and started moving the puck better," Carlsson added. "The second and third periods are something we can build on."
The turning point
Kalmar's first-period blitz was the clear difference. The 3-1 scoreline after 20 minutes meant Vimmerby spent the rest of the match chasing the game, and although they found a response through Pettersson, they never got back on level terms. For a side playing its first pre-season match, Kalmar's sharpness in the opening stanza was notable — and, as local outlet Barometern put it in their headline, it was a case of "New Kalmar HC — same speed."
Key performers
Elliot Ekmark (Kalmar) — Two goals in the first period set the platform for the win. His movement in the offensive zone caused Vimmerby problems all night.
Viktor Smeds (Kalmar) — Scored the crucial fourth goal that killed any Vimmerby comeback hopes after the visitors had pulled within one.
Hampus Karlsson (Vimmerby) — The new signing scored to level the game at 1-1 and looked lively in an otherwise difficult first period for the visitors.
Anton Carlsson (Vimmerby) — Turning 30 on matchday, the Vimmerby captain led by example and spoke honestly about his side's slow start in post-match interviews.
Player of the match: Elliot Ekmark
By the numbers — interpreted
While full shot and xG data from this pre-season friendly is not publicly available, the period-by-period breakdown tells a clear story. Kalmar's 3-1 first period was the decisive phase, featuring three different goalscorers (Johansson, Ekmark x2). Vimmerby's response in the second period — pulling it back to 3-2 — shows a team that grew into the contest, but the inability to find an equaliser in the third period will be a concern for head coach and staff. The 1-0 third period in Kalmar's favour (Smeds' goal) suggests the home side managed the game effectively once ahead.
What it means
This was Kalmar's first pre-season match of the 2026/27 campaign. They continue their friendly schedule at home against Karlskrona on Tuesday 18 August, followed by a high-profile fixture against SHL side Malmö Redhawks on 20 August in Landskrona.
For Vimmerby, this was their second pre-season outing following a win over Oskarshamn. They face Västervik on 25 August before hosting Kalmar in the return fixture at VBO Arena on 4 September.
Both sides are preparing for the upcoming HockeyAllsvenskan season, with pre-season results providing early indicators of form and fitness.
Verdict
A professional pre-season-opening performance from Kalmar, who showed sharp finishing in the first period and composure to close out the game after Vimmerby threatened a comeback. For Vimmerby, the slow start proved costly, but the second-period improvement offers something to work with. Pre-season friendlies are about building rhythm, and both sides got useful minutes.
Match Events
Kalmar and Vimmerby have met 27 times — Kalmar won 16, Vimmerby won 11, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2018. Kalmar leads the head-to-head with 16 victories from 27 meetings. A combined 150 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 5.56 per match (82 for the home side, 68 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 23 matches (85%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 26 games (96%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. Kalmar are currently unbeaten in the last 4 meetings. The highest-scoring encounter finished 5–3 in 2025.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 15 Aug 2026