Storhamar wins third straight Elite Hockey title
Photo: Lise Åserud/NTB
Martin Rønnild (12) celebrates the Norwegian ice hockey championship with his teammates and Storhamar fans in the crowd.
Last year, Storhamar became the first Elite Hockey team to sweep every series (12-0) to win the championship. The Dragons (29 regulation wins, seven overtime wins, two overtime losses, seven losses, 103 pts regular season) made their seventh straight appearance in the finals and secured their third straight title by beating third-seed Frisk Asker (32–1-1-11-99 pts), 4-1, April 15, before a capacity crowd of 3,805 spectators at Frisk Asker’s Varner Arena, to take the series 4-2.
Storhamar swept the quarter finals (Lillehammer) and dropped a game in the semifinals (Stavanger) en route to its ninth overall title. The Tigers advanced by sweeping Sparta Sarpsborg and eliminating Vålerenga in five games. They were attempting to win their first title since 2019.
The Tigers won twice at Hamar, and the Dragons won three at Asker.
After a scoreless first period, Colin Campbell, a 35-year-old Canadian, with assists from Martin Rønnild and Zach O’Brien, put Storhamar on the board at 5:20 of the second. It was Campbell’s eighth goal in 15 playoff games—along with seven assists—after 16-13-29 in 34 regular season games. At 12:30, Fredrik Bjørndal evened the game with an unassisted goal. American Austin Cangelosi (21-26-47 in 40 regular season games, 4-6-10 in 13 playoff games), with serves from Rønnild and Sverre Rønningen, gave Storhamar a 2-1 lead with 2:15 left in the period.
Success in hockey playoffs also depends on goaltending. The Tigers’ 33-year-old Canadian Mitch Gillam and the Dragons’ 22-year-old Markus Stensrud were outstanding during the playoffs. In the final period, Frisk Asker outshot Storhamar 18-6, and 37-27 for the game. Stensrud stopped all 18 attempts and 36 overall (97.3%). Gillam was hit and had to leave the game with 8:32 remaining after 22 saves (91.6%). Former NHL player Andreas Martinsen iced the game with empty net goals with 1:50 and 56 seconds remaining to finish with six goals, seven assists in 13 playoff games after posting 16-29-45 line in 45 regular season games.
In 15 playoff games, Stensrud had a 92.86% save percentage and conceded 1.66 goals a game, after blocking the net for 38 regular-season games, saving 90.46%, with a 2.02 GAA. Gillam’s playoffs and regular seasons were almost identical. In 15 post-season games, he yielded 1.80 goals and saved 91.99%, while he appeared in 35 regular season games, stopping 91.74%, yielded 1.87 and had eight shutouts.
“All credit to Frisk,” said Storhamar’s Jacob Berglund to TV 2. “It has been the toughest playoff series we have had in many years. We have found a way to win, and that is why we stand here as winners today.”
Also, because the 34-year-old Berglund won Most Valuable Player in the playoffs with 10 goals, seven assists in 15 playoff games after 23-25-48 in 38 regular season contests.
For Dragons coach Petter Thoresen, it was his 14th Norwegian Championship and in two stints in Storhamar he’s won six times. It doesn’t get old or easy.
“You have to do a lot of work to win,” he said. “You can’t just wish to win. You have to put in the work, and we get paid for that in the end.”
Photo: Lise Åserud/NTB
Playoff MVP Jacob Berglund of Storhamar holds the Elite Hockey championship trophy after the Dragons beat Asker in six games in the finals.
April 4: Game 1, FA 3-2
Magnus Geheb put the Tigers ahead 1-0 at 16:49 of the opening period with an assist from Christian Vethe Bye, then pushed it to 2-0 at 3:23 of the second when Philip Granath found the net with help from Eskil Wold and Christian Kåsastul. Berglund reduced to 2-1 at 4:39 of the third, receiving assists from Marcus Bryhnisveen and Sander Hurrød. Frisk Asker restored the two-goal advantage 1:28 later when Michael Haga scored on the powerplay Cangelosi made it a one-goal game again with 4:35 remaining.
April 7: Game 2, Storhamar 3-2 (OT)
Geheb again gave the Tigers the lead with a goal at 8:05 of the second period assisted by 23-year-old Christian Vethe Bye and they carried the 1-0 lead into the third period. At 8:55 of the third, the Dragons evened when Berglund scored. The Dragons took a 2-1 lead when Rønnild scored at 10:20 of the third. With 1:21 remaining Haga sent the game to overtime, where Berglund scored at 3:25 to even for the 3-2 win, evening the series.
April 9: Game 3, Storhamar 6-2
The 6-2 score was a little deceptive as it was another tight game with Campbell’s empty net goals with 3:25 and 1:02 remaining providing the four-goal margin, pleasing the 6,032 spectators at CC Amfi Arena. Rønnild and 20-year-old Axel Sandnes set up Bryhnisveen at 11:20 of the first period giving the Dragons a 1-0 lead. The Tigers evened the score at 15:11 on a power play goal by 21-year-old defenseman Emil Wasenden.
Storhamar took a 2-1 lead into the third period after 22-year-old defenseman Mathias Papuga scored at 6:51 of the second. Sander Wold tied the game at 5:36 of the third with an unassisted goal. Storhamar scored four goals in a 6:30 span with goals by forward Olle Liss at 12:28 and Bryhnisveen scored his second goal of the game at 14:31 before the empty net goals.
April 11: Game 4, Storhamar 4-3 (OT)
Just 10 seconds into overtime, Berglund scored his second overtime winner of the series, helping the Dragons overcome 2-0 and 3-1 deficits at Asker and taking a 3-1 lead in the finals.
Bye scored two first-period goals for the hosts at 2:35 and 6:37 with Geheb assisting on both, Wasenden on the first, Bjørndal on the second. Liss reduced the deficit to one with a goal at 13:26. Thomas Olsen took feeds from Granath and Wasenden for the tying power play goal at 7:47 of the second for the 3-1 lead. Martinsen reduced the lead to one with 3:49 left in the second period (Cangelosi, Berglund assists) and then added the tying goal at 8:32 of the third (Hurrød, Berglund assists).
“It was a bit tough at times, but we got paid in the end,” said Thoresen to TV 2. “We will enjoy this victory. Today we were not at our best, but we still managed it. We don’t think we’ve won anything yet.”
April 13: Game 5, FA 4-1
Frisk Asker proved that in Game 5 with the 4-1 win, disappointing 6,536 Dragon fans at CC Amfi. Wasenden (Bye, Bjørndal assists) put the Tigers in front 11:09; into the game, but Berglund’s power play tally with 3:47 remaining in the first evened the score. Bye (Bjørndal) gave Frisk Asker the lead for good at 9:48 of the second. Bye added an empty net goal with 2:12 left in the game and Sander Wold a power play empty-net goal with 44 ticks left.
Each team had players who elevated their games from the regular season. For Storhamar, in addition to Berglund, Campbell, Martinsen, Cangelosi, was Rønningen 1-3-4 in 15 regular season games; 0-6-6 in 15 playoff games; while for FA: Bye 5-10-15, 43G; 6-5-11 in 15 playoff games; Wasenden 3-21-24 in 43 regular season games, 4-5-9 in 10 playoff games; Geheb 3-9-12 in 34 regular season games; 2-6-8 in 12 playoff games; Granath 1-6-7 in 12 regular season games, 3-3-6 in 15 playoff games; Eskil Wold 6-6-12 in 26 games, 7-5-12 in 15 playoff games; Jacob Andersson 0-3-3 15G; 1-6-7 in 15 playoff games.
This article originally appeared in the May 2026 issue of The Norwegian American.
