Almtuna vs AIK

The match at Upplandsbilforum Arena was a tighter, lower-scoring affair than Wednesday's 4-3 overtime thriller in Järfälla. AIK struck first in the second period and added what proved to be the winner in the third, while Almtuna's response came too late to salvage a result.

Both sides rotated personnel heavily — consistent with pre-season priorities — with AIK making several changes from the lineup that edged the first meeting. Almtuna, eager to avoid another late collapse after surrendering a 3-1 lead on Wednesday, started the sharper of the two but could not convert early pressure into a goal.

Official goal details — scorers, assisters and exact minute marks — were not published by the clubs at the time of writing, a common gap in pre-season match reporting.

The decisive moment arrived in the second period when AIK broke the deadlock. Almtuna had controlled the opening frame without reward, and conceding against the run of play forced them into a more aggressive third-period posture — one that left defensive gaps AIK exploited for the second goal.

Where Wednesday's game saw Almtuna lead 3-1 before AIK stormed back, Friday's version followed the reverse pattern: Almtuna chasing from behind and unable to find the equaliser until it was too late.

AIK's defence deserves the headline — after conceding four goals on Wednesday (including three in the third period), the backline tightened up significantly in the return match. The return of Victor Brattström and Scott Pooley to the lineup (both were rested on Wednesday as a precaution) added experience.

Almtuna's attack created chances but lacked the final-third sharpness that produced three goals midweek. Pre-season inconsistency is expected, but the pattern of falling behind and chasing will be a focus for the coaching staff before the season opener.

No official player of the match was named.

For AIK: Viktor Tuurala's side extended their winning start to pre-season (now 2-1, with wins over Vita Hästen and Almtuna twice, and a loss to SHL-side Linköping). The two tight results against a fellow HockeyAllsvenskan opponent offer early evidence that Tuurala's system is taking hold.

For Almtuna: The record slips to 1-4 in pre-season (the sole win coming against Tyresö/Hanviken 4-3 on 22 August). Almtuna have conceded at least two goals in every pre-season match, but the competitive nature of both AIK games suggests the gap to their rivals is narrow.

Both teams have several pre-season fixtures remaining before the HockeyAllsvenskan season begins on 18 September 2026. AIK face BIK Karlskoga away on 2 September; Almtuna host Västerås IK in Enköping on the same date.

A textbook pre-season friendly: lower intensity than Wednesday's wild 4-3, both teams experimenting with personnel, and AIK showing they can win a tight, defensive game as well as a wild one. Nothing to panic about for Almtuna, but the losing habit is one they will want to break before September.