Frölunda’s Flying Finns Prove Formidable Foes in Blowout Victory Over Linköping; Holopainen, Vesa Impress, Sofie Lundin Pots Two
Frölunda's flying Finns proved formidable foes as the team blew out Linköping 7-1 last night.
Ann-Frédérique Guay made her highly anticipated SDHL debut for Linköping on Wednesday evening. The forward, who racked up points at both the NCAA D3 (for Norwich University) and D1 (University of Maine) levels, will attempt to add secondary scoring for LHC, which has relied heavily on its top line of Toko-Hjalmarsson-Blom so far this season.
Unfortunately for Guay, Linköping had a rough start, taking a penalty in the opening minute. Frölunda’s Elisa Holopainen, the league’s leading scorer, did what she does best, and hammered home a one-timer from the right faceoff circle to make it 1-0. Less than two minutes later, FHC defender Sanni Rantala added her first of the season when her point shot took a strange bounce off Linköping goalie Ebba Svensson Träff’s chest and ended up in the back of the net. At the halfway mark of the period, Frölunda’s Edit Danielsson took a rather undisciplined offensive zone penalty for slashing. Though Linköping was awarded the power play, it was Finn Emilia Vesa of Frölunda who really stood out, flying around the ice, gaining and maintaining possession, and denying LHC the opportunity to establish themselves in the offensive zone.
In the second period, Danielsson redeemed herself, scoring her first goal of the season and Frölunda’s second power play marker of the night. Vesa, the team’s best penalty killer all evening, proved that she can also score goals when she notched one of the prettiest of this young season: collecting the puck in her team’s defensive zone, she circled behind the goal; gathering speed, she rushed up the right wing, weaving and dodging around several Linköping defenders before neatly depositing the puck behind Svensson Träff to make it 5-0 Frölunda.
The third period saw the duo of Holopainen and Sofie Lundin connect for two more Frölunda goals, and though LHC’s Naomi Rogge did eventually score to rob Stephanie Neatby of her first shutout of the season, the game would end as it began, with Frölunda dominating.
Linköping is back in action on Friday at home against SDE; Frölunda has an extended break and does not play again until Friday, October 11 when they meet Leksand.