Malmo had taken Skelleftea to overtime in their previous match yet were one of four teams still to win inside 60 minutes this season. They put that right against Brynas, winning 1-0 and consigning the visitors to successive losses following a three-game winning run.
The only goal came four minutes into period three, as Isac Born set up Jonathan Myrenberg to play their part in winning the points, but the bulk of the work was done by Marek Langhamer, who made 30 saves to keep Brynas at bay and take the Redhawks into the 10th and final play-off place.
Brynas stayed fifth but are now three points behind Skelleftea who cruised to a 4-1 win at bottom-of-the-table Timra, as Rickard Hugg and Arvid Lundberg grabbing a goal and assist each. Still just a point above Timra are Djurgarden, who fell to a 4-2 loss to Frolunda but gave the league leaders a late scare by coming from 3-0 down to 3-2, but two Isac Heens assists helped Frolunda to six wins from six.
Still a point behind the Gothenburg side are Farjestad, who scored their fourth win in a row by beating HV 71 3-1, with Oskar Steen notching a goal and assist as the hosts came from a goal down to win and condemn HV to a third loss in four. Third-placed Bjorkloven made it three wins in a row thanks largely to two Axel Ottosson goals in the first period as they won 3-2 at Linkoping, who are winless in four.
A first defeat in three has knocked Rogle out of the top six and down to eighth, and they were replaced in sixth by their victors, Vaxjo, for whom Brian Cooper scored the first and final goals in a 3-2 win. Mathias Brome and Valtteri Puustinen scored one and made one each as Lulea won their second game in a row and went seventh by cruising to a 4-1 win at Orebro, who sit ninth after successive defeats.