Sara Grahn shutout Liiga's Karpat before falling in a shootout. Grahn was making her men's professional hockey debut with Luleå.

Swedish netminder Sara Grahn answered the call at the men's professional level, stepping between the pipes for the SHL's Luleå against Liiga's Kärpät.

Following a slew of illness and injury hitting the team, Grahn was called upon to backup Luleå in their preseason game against Kärpät. With her team trailing 4-2 midway through the game, Grahn stepped in net and did not allow a goal helping Luleå comeback to tie the game 4-4 before falling in a shootout.

For Grahn, who is the reigning SDHL Goalie of the Year and a member of Sweden's women's national team, the opportunity to step into Sweden's top men's professional was a dream come true.

"I was very shocked at first but incredibly happy that they asked me," Grahn said in a translated interview with Expressen. "It proves that they believe in me and that I can handle the level. I was simply happy. It's something you've thought about since you were little, that it would be cool, but I never thought it would happen."

Grahn earned praise from Luleå teammate and ex-NHLer Linus Omark, who was impressed but not surprised by her play.

"She was fantastic," Omark said. "But I'm not at all surprised, she is perhaps Sweden's best goalkeeper on the women's side, and was very good when we trained earlier today."

Karpat's current roster features four NHL draft picks and three NHL alumni.