Fully focused: Damian Clara © Färjestad BK / Social Media

Hero in the penalty shootout: Clara’s strange league debut

Sweden's best league started the new season on Saturday. Damian Clara was only on the ice for 55 seconds for his club Färjestad BK. Due to strange circumstances, the 19-year-old nevertheless contributed significantly to his team's success.

September 24, 2024

From: leo

The league opener was a real cracker in the Löfsbergs Arena in Karlstad, where Färjestad plays its home games. The Clara team, which won the preliminary round last year, faced last season's finalists: Rögle BK. The guests were leading 10-3 until 1 minutes before the end, but were unable to counter David Tomasek's one-man show. The Czech world champion saved Färjestad with a hat trick and took the game to extra time, where Clara made an unexpected appearance.

Because the regular number 1, Maxime Lagace, was injured, the young South Tyrolean had to go into goal 55 seconds before the end of overtime. Although he didn't have to save a single shot, he made a big impression in the penalty shootout that followed: The South Tyrolean defused three of four attempts and thus provided another testament to his talent. Incidentally, the winning goal was scored by four-goal scorer Tomasek - much to the delight of the more than 8000 fans.

Trust from the coach

Clara was rewarded for this performance by his coach Tomas Mitell, as he was able to play from the start on Tuesday evening in the away game against the Växjo Lakers. He repaid the trust, as Färjestad won 5:2. Clara impressed with a save percentage of almost 90 percent. Lagace's injury should not be too serious, however, as the former NHL goalie was on the bench as a backup in Växjo.