2. GOAL SCORING FORWARDS:
Luleå - Emma Nordin (SWE)/ Michelle Karvinen (FIN)
Linköping - Kennedy Marchment (CAN)/ Pernilla Winberg (SWE)
These four do not just represent their teams' top scorers but the league's, with all of them finishing in the top 10 on Total Points. Both Emma Nordin and Michelle Karvinen are incredibly consistent, with Nordin the top scoring Swede in the league this year with 59 points and the league's top goal scorer with 31. In three of her last four seasons at Luleå the 27 year old has scored on average 60 points a season, just under 2 Points Per Game, whilst in her 11 year career in the SDHL she averages just over one PPG.
Karvinen did not manage to win the Total Points scoring competition for a fourth year in a row but ended up in third, just three points behind her Swedish teammate. She missed 10 matches this season so that 2018/9 was her worst points scoring season in the SDHL and yet she still had a 2.15 PPG average! Such is the calibre of 28 year old.
For Linköping Kennedy Marchment and Pernilla Winberg have lead the way on Total Points in the absence of the injured Swiss star, Lara Stalder. Stalder and Marchment are the only two players who have been drafted to the NWHL but are now playing in Sweden. But despite being drafted by the Buffalo Beauts in Round 1 of 2017 the 22 year old Canadian chose to play her first season outside the NCAA with Linköping. A decision the Östergötland can be very thankful for as she has been their top scorer with 52 points, only four behind Karvinen.
Whilst Marchment is in her first season outisde North American, Winberg is in her sixth after returning from the NCAA. At 30 years old she is one of the few Swedish Olympic silver medalist from 2006 still playing played and is a double Swedish champion too.
Winberg and Marchment have played alot on the same line this year, the perfect balance of skill and maturity. Marchment is an out and out forward, best when charging the net, whereas Winberg also gets in on the defensive duties.
SUMMARY: Whilst there is high quality forwards in both rosters, Luleå have both better quality player for player and greater depth in terms of points scoring forwards. Advantage: Luleå
@ABritOnThinIce1
