Big Performances Mark Sunday SDHL Games

Frölunda climbs into first overall; HV71 snaps losing streak in most improbable way; Brynäs batters SDE; Djurgården's Czechs keep scoring in win

Big performances marked Sunday's SDHL games. Here's a look.

Linköping 2 - Djurgården 3

After a scoreless first half, DIF tallied first when Tereza Plosová buried her eigth of the season when she potted a Hana Haasová rebound off a 3-on-2 break. Minutes later, University of Minnesota commit Plosová scored again, this time a beautiful goal that began with her stripping the puck from a Djurgården defender before sniping it past DIF backup goalie Lia Leiderö Palmlöv. LHC’s Sara Hjalmarsson clawed one back two minutes later, but DIF’s Isabelle Leijonhielm restored the two goal lead before the period was out, with a pretty snipe in transition that beat Linköping goalie Ebba Svensson Träff below the glove. LHC reduced DIF’s lead to one in the third period, but that was as close as the game would get.

Both teams have a long layoff, and do not play again until December 20, following next week’s international break.

Luleå 0 - HV71 2

HV71 snapped their nine-game losing streak in perhaps the most improbable way imaginable, shutting out league powerhouse Luleå on the road. Despite five minor penalties being called in the first period, the lone goal of the frame came at even strength. Julia Nearis banged the puck in from the doorstep, following a wraparound attempt by teammate Teghan Inglis. In the second period, Luleå controlled the play but looked rather uninspired, and HV hung on. The league leaders awoke in the third period, and finally seemed intent on winning. They pumped no fewer than 17 shots on HV goaltender Viktorie Svejdová and hit the post twice, but finally, mercifully, received the puck luck that had elluded them for so long. Svejdová registered the season’s most unlikely shutout, and teammate Tea Løkke Nyberg scored into an empty net to give HV their well-deserved and long-awaited win.

With their loss and Frölunda’s win, Luleå drops to second place in the standings.

Skelleftefeå 3 - Frölunda 4 OT

A win in this game would allow Frölunda to climb to the very top of the league standings, following Luleå’s improbable loss to HV71 earlier in the day. Head coach Erika Holst’s team did not make their task easy, falling behind 3-0 in the first period. Skellefteå’s Finnish contingent, perhaps energized by recent national team invitations, chased Frölunda backup goalie Maja Helge, beating her on three of six shots. Dane Nicoline Søndergaard Jensen tallied first, assisted by Ida Kuoppala and Jenna Pirttijärvi. In quick succession, Pirttijärvi added two goals of her own, assisted by countrymen Kuoppala and Sini Karjalainen. When the second period began, now with Stephanie Neatby manning the visitors’ goal, a Frölunda comeback felt almost inevitable. Skellefteå plays admirably, with chutzpah and grit, but Frölunda’s roster features a wealth of skill and experience. Neatby was forced into a handful of big saves, and each seemed to give her team more confidence in their ability to come back. Very late in the second period, Frölunda finally got on the board when towering defender Alva Johnsson, perhaps making up for a defensive error that lead to SKE’s second goal, hammered one in from the blue line.

Early in the third period, Felizia Wikner-Zienkiewicz tallied to reduce the deficit to one, on a speedy solo effort off a Skellefteå turnover. Teen Edit Danielsson, who has been excellent of late, tied the game minutes later, beating Skellefteå goalie Blanka Skodová five hole.

Overtime solved nothing and the game went to a shootout, where Frölunda made no mistake: all three shooters (Sofie Lundin, Hanna Olsson and Andrea Dalen) did what they are paid to do. With the win, Frölunda takes over sole possession of first place.

Brynäs 5 - SDE 1

Brynäs, brimming with confidence after the additions of PWHL veterans Fanni Garát-Gasparics and Maude Poulin-Labelle, took only 18 seconds to open the scoring when Jenniina Nylund converted a Sára Čajanová rebound past SDE keeper Lovisa Berndtsson. Defender Čajanová has been more consistently using her speed to control the play of late, and consequently has eleven points in her last ten games. SDE equalized early in the second period, when a wide open Liliane Perreault scored off a pretty Lisa Johansson dish just two minutes into the frame. Brynäs responded quickly, with goals from Sanni Vanhanen and Anna Brenkle. The Brynäs onslaught continued in the third, when young upstart Tilde Sundnäs Grillfors scored her fourth of the season on the power play to make it 4-1, and a Hanna Thuvik snipe followed shortly thereafter. SDE pressed and Brynäs helped them by taking a trio of ill-advised penalties, but goalkeeper Ena Nystrøm shut the door, making a total of twelve saves in the period and 32 overall to preserve the win.

The victory ensured Brynäs fourth place in the standings as they head into the international break next week.