2. Luleå/ MSSK
Luleå have also had a quiet month with their only matches being the back to back away games at Leksand IF. The team's top four scorers Jenni Hiirikoski, Emma Nordin, Michelle Karvinen and Noora Tulus all got points during the games. At the back, Sara Grahn took the net in both matches and still holds the league's top save percentage with 94,77 SVS%.
But the double header was also an occasion for some of the team's less well known players to shine. For example, Japanese captain and Olympian, Chiho Osawa got a rare point with an assist on Nathalie Ferno's goal, the opening score of the first match. Meanwhile Danish international, Josefine Høegh Persson was the only player to get a goal in each game as well as one assist on Emma Nordin's 4-1 goal which put the second game out of Leksand's grasp with 16:33 to play. Luleå would go on to win the game 4-2 to add to their 2-1 victory in the first match.
Luleå still have 4/5 games in hand on their rivals but this will mean a frenetic last month in the regular season to catch up. The current champions will play 11 matches in 23 days, including two weekends in a row with matches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, before a tough final match against last year's runners up, Linköping HC, to end the season on 2 February.
Tonight, Tuesday 27 December, will see the home leg of a double header against league leader's, MODO Hockey which will be followed by the away match this Sunday 29 December. If Luleå win both matches in regulation they will go top of the league in the last matches of 2018.
@ABritOnThinIce1
