Michelle Karvinen's OT dagger earned redemption for Frölunda, and three one goal games highlighted the SDHL's action this weekend.
Michelle Karvinen's OT dagger earned redemption for Frölunda, and three one goal games highlighted the SDHL's action this weekend.
Michelle Karvinen's OT dagger earned redemption for Frölunda, and three one goal games highlighted the SDHL's action this weekend. Here's a look at all the SDHL action:
Frölunda 2 - Luleå 1 (OT)
In this highly anticipated rematch between two of the SDHL’s top teams, fans were treated to a high speed, back and forth game that delivered intensity and excitement. The teams’ previous meeting this season saw Luleå dominate possession as they outshot Frölunda 34-13, only to lose 3-1 nonetheless.
The first period was a back and forth affair, each team peppering the other’s goaltender with shot after shot. Luleå struck first when a Nadia Mattivi point shot was deflected by Jaycee Magwood in front, and the puck bounced to Linnea Johansson, alone on the doorstep. Johansson made no mistake, and shovelled the puck past a helpless Stephanie Neatby to make it 1-0 Luleå. Frölunda came out buzzing in the second period, and used their speed to create a number of quality chances. Nearly eight minutes into the frame, their hard work paid off when Paula Bergström potted her first of the season to tie the game at one. Luleå’s league-best power play got two chances to go to work in the third period, first when a clearly frustrated Michelle Karvinen committed an ill-advised offensive zone tripping penalty. Neatby and her penalty killers stood tall, and the game remained knotted at 1-1. On the other end of the ice, Sara Grahn was also stellar, making a number of key saves to give her team a chance to win. One minute into overtime, Frölunda went on a 4-on-3 power play and Luleå penalty killer Emma Nordin broke her stick blocking a shot. With Nordin stickless, Frölunda was essentially playing 4-on-2 and made no mistake. Hanna Olsson received a pass from Felizia Wikner Zienkiewicz in the right circle, head faked and passed to Karvinen. Karvinen called game. Her finish from the left side of the high slot was as precise as it was ruthless, a dagger to the heart of league-leaders Luleå. With the win, Frölunda took over second place in the standings. Both teams were off on Sunday.
Sunday, October 27
HV71 4 - Skellefteå 3 (OT)
HV’s Kennedy Bobyck scored the tying goal with only ten seconds remaining in the third period and then buried the game-winner 1:43 into overtime to give her time a come-from-behind win over Skellefteå on Sunday afternoon. Both goals were assisted by Teghan Inglis.
Skellefteå took an improbable 3-1 lead into the game’s first intermission despite being outshot 10-5 in the opening period. HV71 changed goalies from starter Lina Van Noort to backup Viktorie Svejdova for the second period, and the switch paid off as Svejdova denied every shot she faced for the remainder of the game. An Alva Johansson power play goal brought the score to 3-2 in the second period. As the third period wore on, it began to look like Skellefteå would escape with a one goal victory, until Bobyck’s clutch goal tied the game at three with only 10 seconds remaining. In overtime, jitterbug Bobyck did it again, notching the game winner. Teghan Inglis finished with three assists.
Leksands IF 3 - Brynäs 4
In a back and forth game, Leksand appeared to be on the brink of ending their seven-game losing streak, but Brynäs and Jenniina Nylund refused to go down without a fight. LIF opened the scoring when Vilma Nilsson potted her first of the year. Brynäs tied it early in the second, but fell behind again when Ida Press scored 25 minutes in. Jenniina Nylund and Brynäs responded with a goal of their own 10 minutes later to make the score 2-2 going into the second intermission. Leksand took a 3-2 lead on a Sofia Sohlin marker, scored on then-stickless goaltender Emmy Nordström Åmark. A pair of ill-advised penalties made things look bleak for Brynäs’ comeback attempt, but they battled back, and Celine Tedenby scored the tying goal with just less than three minutes remaing in the period. In the game’s final minute, Anna Brenkle was handed a top-end scoring chance by teammate Kaitlyn O’Donohoe and made no mistake, ripping the puck past Leksand goalkeeper Ellen Jonsson. Leksand is now winless in eight. The victory was Nordström Åmark’s first career SDHL win, and Brynäs’ fifth straight.
SDE 3 - MoDo 2
The day’s final game was also a tightly contested one. SDE was looking to get back in the win column after dropping three straight, while MoDo had the opportunity to leapfrog Frölunda and Luleå to the top of the standings with a regulation win. MoDo’s Ella Albinsson opened the scoring early in the first, and SDE responded with a power play goal later in the frame to make it 1-1 after one. SDE’s power play was successful again in the second period, when Gabby Jones tipped a Lotti Odnoga point shot past MoDo’s goalie Andrea Brändli to take a 2-1 lead. In the third period, Mira Hallin tied the game for MoDo to the raucious celebration of her bench. Ecstasy turned to agony for MoDo only ten seconds later, when SDE’s Malia Schneider scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, giving her team a much needed victory. With the loss, MoDo remains stagnant in third place in the league standings.