MODO Hockey - Linköping HC
These two teams met in the semifinal last year when Linköping came out victorious 2-1 in matches. But when the two team's met in Örnsköldsvik last Tuesday it was the home team that were favourites to win in front of the 800 fans who came to see the game.
But it was Linköping who scored first, putting the pressure on the home team with two quick goals at the start of the second period. Former MODO player and American Olympic Gold medalist, Sidney Morin scored an assist on the 0-2 goal which was netted by Sweden's own Olympic bronze medalist, Pernilla Winberg. The home team never found their way into the game, so that when their top scorer and former Toronto Furies' forward, Michela Cava got her name on the scoresheet it was too little too late. Linköping took the game 1-3.
In Match 2 MODO scored first and it was Cava who got the assist on 6.2 ft (190 cm) French forward, Lore Baudrit's goal after just 3:15. But Linköping did not let go and the game was level at 2-2 with just under half the match remaining. When Morin scored her third assist of the match on another Winberg goal, the home team had shifted the momentum of the game to their advantage with 4-2. The visitors chased and it was no other than Cava who scored with just 1:30 minutes left in the game to bring it to 4-3. But there would not be anymore goals and the guests went down in the series 2-0.
For the second year in a row MODO found themselves in a must win third match of the series playing away in Linköping's Stångebrohallen. It was a tense and high quality game marked by excellent defense and goalkeeping at both ends. And even with Linköping taking a 1-0 lead through Buffalo Beauts' drafted Kennedy Marchment in the first period it did not change the atmosphere. The opening two periods were marked by nine penalties including three Illegal Hits. But that did not include when Linköping defender, Emilia Ramboldt and MODO captain, Olivia Carlsson exchanged blows in front for the Linköping bench. It was only when Linköping scored their second at 6:49 in the final period that the tension eased and the home team's final place seemed secured. The top scorer in the league's 11 year history, Denise Altmann was the one who found the net on a breakaway. But MODO's young Czech goalkeeper, Klara Peslarova was livid and confronted the referees believing she had been interfered with on the play. But the goal stood and as time ticked away it was Linköping who cemented the victory with two more goals.
The score of 4-0 does not really do justice to MODO's fighting spirit, which exploded with five minutes to go when 90% of the players of the ice were involved in a brawl in front of Linköping netminder, Eveliina Sounpää. Both Linköping's Stacey Brooke and MODO's Paula Bergström picked up a 2 PIM for Fighting and 20 PIM for Game Misconduct. When the siren went the loss was too much for Peslarova who broke down in tears at the bench and then attempted to smash her stick to pieces in rage. At the other end of the ice Linköping took a desevered 3 - 0 match victory and will face Luleå again in the championship decider series.
@ABritOnThinIce1
