3. DEFENSE- Johanna Fällman (SWE) v Emilia Ramboldt (SWE)

Two Swedish "veterans" of SDHL hockey at 28 and 30 years old, both play a tough, physical brand of hockey coupled with great positioning and timing. In the regular season Fällman picked up considerably more PIMs than Ramboldt - mainly due to be ejected for Fighting when she scored a Gordie Howe hattrick in January.

In fact discipline was a regular problem for the Norrbotten team with five players - Ferno, Salvolainen, Fällman, Hiirokoski and Karvinen - picking up 196 PIMs between them. As in every playoff hockey match, penalties will play a key factor in the game, not least because in SDHL the best players often play both in the Power Play and Penalty Kill. Playing 4 on 5 means your best players are using up their resources defending when they should be attacking - a recipe for losing matches.

Linköping have come through to the final facing tougher opposition that their rivals in the playoffs. But they nonetheless have seen off Djurgården IF and MODO Hockey in just seven games. From a defensive point of view, that has included two shutouts, two games where their opponents only scored one goal and just two matches where their opponents scored more than two goals against them.

Luleå walked over AIK in the quarterfinals, but in the semis HV71 threatened them and showed that the current champions are beatable.

SUMMARY: The Luleå team is built primarily around attack, but Linköping have been disciplined and stingy in defense the playoffs. Advantage: Linköping

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

For the second year in a row the final will be between favourites, Luleå/ MSSK and Linköping HC. A Brit on Thin Ice takes a look at the key battles that will determine who wins the Swedish Championship 2018/9.

1. HIGH SCORING DEFENDERS

Sidney Morin (USA) v Jenni Hiirikoski (FIN)

Undoubtedly, the best two-way-backs in the SHL, Linköping's Olympic Gold medalist, Sidney Morin against Luleå's Finnish Olympic Bronze medalist Jenni Hiirikoski, will be a fascinating battle. They were the top scoring defenders in the league, 23 year old Morin with 38 points (17G-21A) and 31 year old Hiirikoski with 63 (19G+44A) on the season. Morin has the hard shot from the blue line in her arsenal whereas the skillful Hiirikoski draws players to her creating space for others. The Finn came second in Total Points in the regular season, just one point behind winner, Michela Cava.

They are both have fast feet and read the game really well. The major difference, and perhaps her only weakness, is that the Finn draws more penalties with her aggressive style racking up 36 PIM in the regular season. By contrast, the taller American collected just six penalties in the whole season, meaning that she sat out for just 12 minutes in over 1900 minutes of play.

Morin's USA beat Hiirikoski's Finland in both the group stage and the semifinals of the 2018 Olympics. But in this club match the Finn will have the advantage with four of her Olympic teammates around her. The Gold medalist will have to be content with new line mate, Canadian Brooke Stacey and a new teammate from Finland, Susanna Tapani who have been brought in for the playoffs by the Östergötland club.

SUMMARY: Hiirikoski will score more points that Morin and, as they say, points make prizes. Advantage: Luleå

LaschWith just two games left in the regular season there is still plenty to play for - especially in the wildcard positions of 6-10, where it can go down to the last shot in the last minute of the last game to decide the final standings.

At the top of the table only Luleå HF and Färjestad BK can win the league. And these two teams will meet on Tuesday night in Karlstad. If Luleå win they will take the title from under their rivals' noses. If they lose it will go down to the last game of the season. On Thursday both teams have tough matches, Luleå away to Växjö Lakers with Färjestad at home to Djurgården IF.

Frölunda Indians are safe for the playoffs in third followed by Växjö and Djurgården and Skellefteå AIK in positions 4-6. These last three teams are almost guaranteed a playoff spot even if they lose both matches. Statistically they could fall out of an automatic playoff spot but if they win one game they are definitely safe.

Frölunda's Ryan Lasch (pictured) is nine points clear of Skellefteå's Joakim Lindström and looks set to win his second Top Scorer's title barring an unlikely goal spree from the Norrbotten club in their final two games.

The real area of uncertainty is positions 7 to 12 currently separated by just 11 points. In 11th and 12th Örebro BK and Linköping HC must win both their games and see teams above them lose. So Linköping's matches against Brynäs IF and then HV71 will be crucial in determining the shape of this part of the table.

Malmö Redhawks are currently top of this pile in seventh at the moment. But their two "six pointers" at home against Rögle BK on Tuesday and Örebro on Thursday will also play a key role in influencing the final table.

Meanwhile, as predicted by a Brit On Thin Ice before the season started, at the bottom of the table things are already decided with both Mora IK and Timrå IK set to play in the SHL qualification matches against the top teams in the Hockey Allsvenskan.

Bottom of the Pile

For Timrå IK the final matches of the season will not change their position at the bottom of the table, but are essentially training matches for the biggest games of their season - the SHL qualification matches against the winners of the Hockey Allsvenskan, most likely to be AIK or Oskarshamn IK.

Below them by eight points are Mora IK who are also making a last minute attempt to improve of last year final table position and avoid the SHL qualification matches. Four wins in February are bringing them tantalizingly close to that and brought some of their players into the reckoning for top points. Most notably Spenser Abbott, who surprisingly sits in fourth on Total Points with 36 (7G + 29A). The 30 year old has six years experience in North America with 273 games in the AHL on his CV as well as two games in the NHL. But the Canadian is also no stranger to success in the SHL where he won the CHL/ SHL double with Frölunda in 2015/6.

However, this month has seen two less high profile players take up the top scoring duties with Swede Mattias Bromé (3G+5A) - above - and Norwegian international, Michael Haga (4G+3A) leading the charge for the Ängelholm club. The whole squad will all need to be on top form, and have the club's above them lose a few matches, if they are to escape the SHL qualification this year.

Örebro HK finally started to show the form that has alluded them all season and have won six matches in the month. Swede Marcus Weinstock, in his ninth season at the club, leads the month's points scoring ahead of five import players in their first season at the club. They lie only three points from season's goal - their first ever SHL playoff season after six year's of trying.

The Best of the Bunch

It has actually been the teams in ninth, twelfth and thirteenth who have provided the best form in February.

Rögle BK are cementing their first chance to be involved in the SHL postseason with four wins in February. 28 year old and Assistant Captain Ted Brithen, pictured, leads the point scoring over the whole season lying in seventh place in Total Points with 34 (11G+23A). That makes this his best points scoring season in the SHL and just two more points will give him the best season of his senior career which he started at Rögle, the same club as where he was a junior.

Only three points behind him on the season is Canadian, Kodie Curran. The former Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) forward, was the team's highest scorer in February with nine points (2G+7A). But the club's hot shot this month has been 22 year old Swede, Linus Sandin who has scored seven goals and one assist, more than one third of his points for the whole season.

The Playoff Fight: Sixth to Twelfth

Only 11 points separate the six teams in places six to twelve. That means the next five matches will be absolutely crucial in deciding who will have the "wildcard" positions of seven to ten inclusive and those who will be in 11th and 12th having qualified for the SHL next year without any post season action.

The majority of the teams in 6th to 11th have had a poor February winning only two or three matches. Nonetheless two 35 year olds with NHL experience, Linköping HC's Derek Roy (2G+3A) - above- and Skellefteå AIK's Joakim Lindström (3G+5A) continue to pick up points despite the team not winning games. That means they remain in second and third in Total Points respectively.

Fourth and Fifth

In fourth and fifth place Växjö Lakers and Djurgården IF are separated by only one point. Växjö may not be the convincing team they were last year, but a successful month has seen them win six out eight matches. They can thank two Canadians for this, first, last year's top signing, toughman, Brendan Shinnimin who gained 8 points (4G+4A) and then new signing, Kris Versteeg. The 32 year old has only played for the current champions for eight games, but was their top scorer in February with nine points (3G+6A). With two Stanley Cups with Chicago Redhawks and 653 NHL games under his belt, Växjö has signed one of the most talented and experienced players currently playing in the SHL in the run up to the Playoffs and are hoping he can help the team to a back to back Le Mat Trophy victory.

Djurgården IF has had a difficult month with only three victories out of eight will need to find that "little extra" in the postseason if they are going to get to the semifinals as they did last year.