Goaltenders stole the show as Frölunda and Luleå won game two of their SDHL semi-final series'.

(Series tied 1-1)

Frölunda bounced back from a tight Game 1 loss with a tight Game 2 victory in Göteborg on Sunday afternoon.  Michelle Karvinen, looking determined from the opening faceoff, scored in the first period on a beautiful feed from Hanna Olsson.  Brynäs countered with a Jenniina Nylund power play marker in the second frame to tie the game at one apiece.  Both teams generated a number of quality scoring chances, but goalies Steph Neatby of Frölunda and Ena Nystrøm of Brynäs put on a show, matching each other save for save and stop for stop.  It was Frölunda that eventually broke the deadlock in the first minute of the third period, when Ella Hellman shot home a rebound after a textbook “pass off the pad” from teammate Sofie Lundin.  Brynäs pressed for the equaliser, but could not solve Neatby again. Her last second baseball-like save sealed the win for FHC.  Neatby made 21 saves on 22 shots in the win, while counterpart Nystrøm made 31 of 33  in the loss.  The teams have a few days off before meeting again in Game 3 on Wednesday in Gävle.

(Luleå leads series 2-0)

Kassidy Sauvé’s brilliance in goal kept this game close.  Her 49 saves were not enough, however, as SDE dropped Game 2 in overtime, 2-1.  After a scoreless first period in which the champs outshot the challengers 12-3, Luleå struck first in the second.  Nadia Mattivi, who has been a standout of late, tallied her first of the playoffs to make it 1-0.  Fewer than five minutes later, SDE’s own playoff standout, Emily Nix, equalised. Nix, who has four goals and five points in her last five playoff games, has been brilliant for SDE of late.  Her quick release and knack for using defenders as a screen make her a constant threat.  Luleå pumped 18 shots on Sauvé in the third, but could not score. Ten minutes into overtime, they finally got their game-winner. Sarah Bujold tipped a Camryn Wong shot home, and Luleå took their second straight win.  LHF goalie Sara Grahn was less busy than her SDE foil, but played well, stopping 18 of 19 for the win.  Luleå now has a stranglehold on the best of five series, but SDE will not go down easily — they came back from two games down to beat MoDo in five just last week.