Linköping HC defenceman Linus Hultström has been suspended for two matches and fined SEK 25,000 after the Swedish Ice Hockey Association’s Disciplinary Committee found him guilty of cross-checking Malmö Redhawks forward Lauri Pajuniemi in the face. The incident occurred in the previous day’s game between the teams.
With 18 seconds left in the first period, Pajuniemi had control of the puck and was skating towards the end boards with a Linköping player behind him. Hultström moved in front of Pajuniemi and delivered a forceful cross-check to his face, according to the committee’s decision.
The committee said the action could not be excused on the grounds that Hultström intended to stop play. It cited the deliberate cross-check to the face and the substantial risk of injury as key factors in determining the punishment. Hultström’s suspension runs from 28 to 31 October 2026 and is assessed as equivalent to two games.