Bergmann’s Two Goals Sink Faltering Frölunda

HV71 0 – Luleå 4

Luleå smothered HV71 and dominated possession, eventually winning 4-0. Despite outshooting HV 14-3 in the first period, Luleå could not solve goaltender Viktorie Svejdova and went into the first intermission empty handed, the score 0-0. In the second, Luleå broke the deadlock with a goal by the cunning veteran Akane Shiga. Minutes later, rookie and Italian national team mainstay Nadia Mattivi scored the first goal of her SDHL career to give Luleå a 2-0 lead. Frida Axell recorded a shutout and Luleå scored two more goals in the third to make the final score 4-0. HV71 plays a crucial match against a confident Skellefteå on Sunday, while Luleå has a quicker turnaround playing Frölunda in Göteborg tomorrow.

SDE 1 – Brynäs 5

Brynäs entered the game as winners of three straight, including an incredible third period comeback against Frölunda on Sunday. SDE, conversely, had lost three in a row and was looking to right the ship. Brynäs opened the scoring early when Hanna Thuvik tallied an absolute beauty, cutting in to roof the puck over goalie Lovisa Berndtsson’s shoulder. The lead was short-lived, as SDE’s Ella Sköldebäck scored her first career goal a minute later. SDE continued to press throughout the period, and outshot Brynäs 14-6 but could not put another one past goalie Ena Nystrøm. In the second period, Brynäs went on the offensive, displaying a growing confidence that has lacked at times this season. 34 minutes in, Anna Brenkle scored to give Brynäs the lead. Captain Julia Östlund added another just three minutes later to make it 3-1 for the visitors. With Brynäs on the power play as the third period opened, Jenniina Nylund continued to impress, finding twine from the bumper position on assists from Sára Čajanová and Tilde Sundnäs Grillfors. The goal was Nylund’s 12th point in 11 games. SDE could not stop the bleeding, allowing another goal, this time by young Stella Lindell, just three minutes later. This match was a tale of two teams currently on different ends of the confidence spectrum, and it showed, as Brynäs dared to make plays, while SDE floundered and struggled to string passes together. Turning things around soon could be a tall order for SDE, as they face MoDo on Sunday. Brynäs will play Leksand away.

Frölunda 3 – Skellefteå 4

In a major upset, Skellefteå rode Nikita Bergmann’s two-goal performance and outstanding goaltending from Camryn Drever to victory over a faltering Frölunda. Skellefteå struck first halfway through the opening frame, with a big effort goal by Marah Wagner to make it 1-0. The goal seemed to energize Frölunda, who responded by notching two straight: Sofie Lundin potted her ninth of the season, and Ella Hellman used a defender as a screen to get one past Drever minutes later to make it 2-1 for Frölunda going into the intermission. Halfway through the second period, Frölunda seemed to be pulling away with the win when Alva Johnsson tallied on a fortuitous bounce to give her team a 3-1 lead. In what is becoming an uncomfortable habit recently, Frölunda could not seal the deal. Bergmann scored on a rebound to bring her team within one only 38 seconds after Johnsson’s goal. In the third, Skellefteå continued to push and Sara Bjurvén, with a free stick on the doorstep, tied the game at three apiece in the 48th minute. Then, with 7:21 left on the clock, Bergmann scored again, driving down the right wall before cutting into the slot unmolested and ripping the puck high past keeper Maja Helge. The goal that proved to be the game winner and silenced the large Göteborg crowd in attendance. With the loss, Frölunda has now dropped three straight and will need to regroup quickly as they play Luleå on Saturday afternoon at home. Skellefteå meets HV71 away on Sunday.

Leksand 0 – MoDo 1

This was a not-as-close-as-the-score-would-indicate game between two teams at opposite ends of the league standings. MoDo eked out a 1-0 victory over lowly Leksand, outshooting their opponents 52-24. The only managed to beat LIF goaltender Emma Polusny once in the second period with a goal by Lovisa Engström. Polusny has played a number of outstanding games this season, but needs goal support if her team is going to return to the win column. On the other end of the ice, MoDo goalie Andrea Brändli was much less busy, but nonetheless made 24 saves to earn the shutout and the win. With her assist on Engström’s goal, Adéla Šapovalivová recorded her ninth point in her last six games and is playing with an infectious confidence. Both teams are back in action on Sunday. MoDo will look to continue their winning ways away against SDE, while Leksand will try to turn things around against Brynäs.