Ebba Svensson Träff and Ida Boman put up spectacular performances in the crease yet again, each recording shutouts in Friday's SDHL action.
Ebba Svensson Träff and Ida Boman put up spectacular performances in the crease yet again, each recording shutouts in Friday's SDHL action.
Here's all of the SDHL action from Friday night.
MoDo 0 - Linköping 1
Linköping scored the game’s one and only goal halfway through the first period. Captain Sara Hjalmarsson finished off a feed from Naomi Rogge, who was back on the scoresheet after her two-goal game on Sunday. Hjalmarsson received Rogge’s drop pass in the slot before coldly snapping the puck past MoDo’s Andrea Brändli to put her team up 1-0. MoDo, who entered the game sitting in third place in the league standings, played aggressively all night, peppering Linköping’s Ebba Svensson Träff with 37 shots and numerous high quality scoring chances. Svensson Träff, all 5’5”/166cm of her, stood tall, and registered her third shutout in only eight starts.
MoDo plays against Djurgården on Sunday, while Linköping travels to Gävle for a showdown with Brynäs.
Brynäs 0 - Djurgården 3
Djurgården goaltender Ida Boman shone, making 29 saves to record her 3rd shutout in eight starts this season. Boman, unmistakeable with her electric blue mask, has been consistently outstanding. She boasts a sterling .944 save percentage behind a young team that has struggled to provide goal support, averaging a paltry 1.21 goals scored per game.
In a pregame interview, Brynäs forward Janniina Nylund spoke about the importance of her team moving their feet and outworking Djurgården. BIF followed the prescription in the first period, keeping their feet moving, racing for loose pucks, and outshooting their opponents 9-3, but the game remained scoreless after one. In the second period, Brynäs continued to buzz, possessing the puck for long stretches, but they were still unable to solve Boman. Late in the period, Djurgården’s Czech Connection line of Hana Haasová, Tereza Pištěková and Tereza Plosová generated a long possession in Brynäs’ zone, cycling and passing, giving and going, and generally creating havoc for the home team’s defence and goaltender Ena Nystrøm. DIF was unable to finish on a number of prime scoring chances in the sequence, but was finally rewarded with a goal when 17-year-old defender Wilma Georgny’s wrist shot was tipped by Haasová and beat Nystrøm five-hole. Minutes later, DIF captain Brette Pettet continued her torrid scoring pace, potting her fifth goal in six games on a hard snap shot through traffic, making the game 2-0. Alice Wallin added a goal off a rebound in the third period to make it 3-0 for Djurgården, and Boman completed her shutout. Brynäs’ scoring troubles continued — the team was again toothless on the power play, going 0-for-2, and worsening their already abysmal efficiency with the advantage to 3.7% on the season.
Both teams are back in action on Sunday, when Djurgården faces MoDo away and Brynäs meets Linköping at home.
SDE 2 - HV71 4
In a game that could prove a turning point in HV71’s season, the team made a statement, winning 4-2 away against fourth place SDE. HV71’s newest acquisition, American Julia Nearis, scored her team’s second goal 2:16 into the second period, on a play that was marked by both excellent effort and superior skill. Nearis and Kelly Bobyck raced up the ice together, entering SDE’s zone at full speed. From the left wing, firefly Bobyck sent a beautiful feed to a driving Nearis, who deftly caught and released the puck past SDE keeper Sauvé’s outstretched glove. Nearis nearly scored again minutes later when she found herself staring at an open net, the puck on her stick, but was foiled by a diving block courtesy of SDE captain Lotti Odnoga. HV continued to pressure, and appeared emboldened, forechecking hard and forcing SDE to turn over the puck again and again. SDE tied the game at 2-2 late in the second period when defender Emma Bergesen expertly snapped a low shot through traffic and past goaltender Viktorie Švejdová. The third period was a back and forth affair, each team doing their best to break the deadlock. It was HV’s Rachel Weiss who scored the game winner in the 46th minute, as she danced low before beating Sauvé with a low snap shot that may have hit something in front. Elin Svensson scored an empty netter at the end to give her team some breathing room, sending HV home with three points. HV71 head coach Thomas Pettersen has his team playing together with confidence and no small degree of swagger; look for them to climb the league standings in the coming weeks if they can maintain this level of play.
SDE will need to refocus quickly, as they face powerhouse Frölunda on Sunday. HV plays Leksand away at 3pm local time.
Leksand 1 - Frölunda 4
Young Frölunda goaltender Maja Helge made 28 saves on 29 shots to lead her team to a 4 -1 win on Friday evening in Leksand. The home team’s Ida Press scored first, on a power play in the period’s final minute. Frölunda subsequently scored four unanswered goals. Interestingly, all three of their third period markers were registered by Finns: Emilia Vesa scored the eventual game-winner at 45:42, Sanni Rantala added one seven minutes later, and Elisa Holopainen tallied her league-leading eighth of the season to round out the scoring.
Leksand meets HV71 on Sunday, while Frölunda plays SDE away.