Czechia players racked up the points, Stephanie Neatby and Ena Nystrøm recorded shutouts, and HV71 continued to find their way.
Czechia players racked up the points, Stephanie Neatby and Ena Nystrøm recorded shutouts, and HV71 continued to find their way.
It was another exciting weekend of action in the SDHL. Here's a look at Sunday's games.
MoDo 5 - Djurgården 2
MoDo’s Vendula Pribylova opened the scoring on a somewhat cheeky play, banking the puck in off of an uncharacteristically unsuspecting Ida Boman, who has been excellent for Djurgården so far this season. Minutes later, Ebba Berglund took a hit to make a play, tipping the puck forward as she was leveled in the neutral zone, and sending Adela Sapovalivova and Lovisa Engström on a 2-on-1 which they finished with clinical precision.
Sapovalivova increased MoDo’s lead only 12 seconds into the second period when she scored on the power play, to make it 3-0. Djurgården pushed back with some Czechs of their own, when Tereza Plosova and Hana Haasova connected halfway through the period — Plosova, sent in on a break, drove the post while chipping the puck over the goalie’s shoulder to make the score 3-1. In the third period, it was again Plosova tallying on a breakaway, this time shorthanded, to bring DIF within one. That was as close as the visitors would get. Emma Seitz finished a Mira Hallin feed for MoDo’s fourth goal in the 52nd minute, and Darcie Lappan added an empty netter as time wound down to put it away for MoDo.
Leksand 2 - HV71 4
This was a battle of the league’s lowest ranked teams, who have been headed in opposite directions of late. Leksand has dropped five straight games, while HV71 is coming off three straight wins and looks to be building momentum and confidence.
HV71 got off to a great start, as newcomer Julia Nearis wasted no time potting her second goal in as many games since joining the team last week. Minutes later HV scored again, their first power play goal of the season, notched by Kennedy Bobyck and assisted by Teghan Inglis and Rachel Weiss. Less than two minutes later, HV scoring leader Elin Svensson added her fifth of the year, on a deflection, prompting Leksand to take a time out.
In the second period, HV took their foot off the gas and allowed Leksand back into the game. First, a Saga Tynell-Nissas shot found the back of the net to make the score 3-1. Minutes later, Agata Sarnovska notched her first of the season to make it 3-2 and bring the home team within one. The comeback was quashed in the third period, and it was Julia Nearis again, adding an insurance marker to give HV71 the victory and their fourth straight win.
Brynäs 1 - Linköping 0
On Sunday afternoon in Gävle, home team Brynäs scored first when Jenny Antonssen finished off a pretty feed from Kaitlyn O’Donohoe early in the second period. The goal was only the team’s second on the power play this season. Linköping’s new-look top line, with Lova Blom at center flanked by Haruka Toko and Moa Wernblom, was dangerous throughout the match, their speed wreaking havoc on Brynäs’ defense, but unable to solve Brynäs goalie Ena Nystrøm. The third period was a nail biter, each team generating multiple chances. Goaltenders Nystrøm and Linköping’s Jorinde Heller earned their paycheques, as they stopped shot after shot and kept the game close. Linköping captain Sara Hjalmarsson nearly tied the game late in the frame with Heller pulled for an extra attacker, but she whistled her shot just over the crossbar. Nystrøm and Brynäs held on to record the shutout and earn a crucial three points in the standings.
SDE 0 - Frölunda 1
Frölunda has yet to lose a match after dropping their season opener to MoDo a month ago. They are big, skilled, and experienced, and possess a veritable Swiss Army knife of offensive weapons. SDE, meanwhile, has struggled to find consistency. While the team is also loaded with a tantalising array of talent, they have been guilty of over-complicating their play at times, looking flashy but disorganized. Considering the firepower on each roster, it was somewhat surprising that this game remained goalless for so long. SDE goaltender Kassidy Sauvé, who has been excellent all season, continued her stellar play, denying chance after chance. Frölunda’s Stephanie Neatby, not to be outdone, made 25 saves through two periods and twice committed absolute robbery on a pair of late SDE chances to keep the game tied. Her heroics set the stage for Michelle Karvinen to do what she does best: score. With 40 seconds left on the clock, Karvinen exploded out of the left corner, driving down the goal line with the puck on her stick. Her pump fake fooled Sauvé, and she stuffed the game-winning goal into the net to give Frölunda their eighth straight victory.