HV71 - Färjestad BK

The team that won the regular season, Färjestad BK verses the lowest placed team left in the competition, HV71 was not the easy win many had expected. Instead produced the first seven game thriller of the 2019 playoffs.

Buoyed from their wildcard victory, the Jönkoping team took victory in Karlstad in the first game of the series shocking the regular season champs with a Robin Figren goal 17:25 into overtime. The New York Islanders drafted player was assisted by Simon Önerud. The 30 year old has the highest scoring season of his career and is currently leaders the playoff Total Points competition with 3G+5A in nine games.

The first four games of the series were all won by the away team. But that trend was broken when Färjestad's 2016 Boston Bruins drafted Oskar Steen scores at 17:26 in the SIXTH period of the match, making it the second longest in Swedish hockey history.

This lead to a strange change in momentum as the last three matches in the series were won by the home team. It was the tallest player in the SHL, Detroit Red Wings drafted Johan Ryno (pictured) that scored the winning goal for Färjestad sealing at 4-3 series victory. He was assisted by Joakim Nygård who leads the team in Total Points with 3G + 3A.

Skellefteå AIK v Djurgården IF

Skellefteå have only failed to make the final once in the past eight seasons and last year beat an inexperienced Djurgården side in the semifinal. Then, the Stockholm club was muscled out of the games by the more mature Norrbotton club, unable to find that little extra to take down their less talented, but cleverer opponents. So when Skellefteå won the opening match away from home and blanked Djurgården in Hovet, it looked like history might repeat itself.

But this year it was youth that won over experience raising the questions of whether Skellefteå roster of 30+ year olds will win another LeMat Trophy again. Joakim Lindström (35), Oscar Möller (30), Mattias Olimb (33) , Fredrik Lindgren (38) , Jesper Jensen (32) and Bud Holloway (31) at least got to play, whilst 39 year old Jimmie Ericsson missed the entire playoffs where he was always an influential force.

Riding through the opening match defeat, Djurgården took the series 4-2 outscoring the northerners 19-12. Adam Reideborn may not have the form that won him 2016/7 netminder if the year, but only once in the series let in more than two goals - Game 2 - and in that game the Stockholm team won 6-3.

Revenge from last year's bitter defeat came through a team effort as they spread the points out between them. Emil Bemström, above, the 19 year old Columbus Blue Jackets drafted forward, and 21 year old Washington Capitals drafted Axel Jonsson-Fjällby both finished with 2G +2A. Meanwhile, 20 year old Buffalo Sabres drafted Marcus Davidsson and 22 year old new signing from Leksand IF, Olle Alsing were just behind the others with three (2G+1A).

Luleå HF v Växjö Lakers

The team that came in second narrowly missed first place in the regular season (Luleå) put the defending champions (Växjö) out with 4-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Luleå continued to show the form that gained them that second place outscoring the Lakers two to one in the first games putting 18 goals past the blue and orange clad team. Top scorer was defenseman and former Philadelphia Flyers, Erik Gustafsson (pictured) but it was Emil Larsson who found the net most with four goals. Meanwhile keeper, Joel Lassinantti, holds the position he held in the regular season- best keeper in the playoffs so far.

For the Lakers, Linus Sjöberg managed a point per game with 2G+5A in their postseason foray. But the scout who brought in 32 year old Kris Versteeg from the KHL into the squad with his 653 NHL matches should be asking for a pay rise. The 2004 Boston Bruins drafted player brought in 4G+7A in 12 regular season games and was the team's top goal scorer in the postseason with 4 as well as 2 assists, only one point behind Sjöberg.

As soon as the last whistle was blown for the regular season, the 7-10 placed teams were battling it out in a best-of-three "Wildcard" series.

Playoff qualifiers

However, there would be no shock results with both the seventh and eighth placed teams winning their series 2-0 in games. That meant victory for HV71 over Rögle BK and for last year's winners, Växjö Lakers over Örebro HK. But both losing clubs can be satisfied with their first ever taste of playoff hockey in the SHL era.

The top four teams in the regular season are the only four teams in the competition and go head to head from Saturday 6 April. But that means that last year’s winners, Växjö Lakers, will not be taking part knocked out by Luleå.

The best of seven series will see:

Luleå HF v Frölunda Indians

Färejstad BK v Djurgården IF

Read my articles to see how they got there, who is hot and whose not as the playoff bubble up to their climax.

On Thursday night in the Coop Arena in Luleå the home team took their third SDHL title in four years in convincing style in the Match 5 decider.

The pre-match favourites Luleå had won the regular season in style and were expected to walk the series over third placed Linköping.

But the Östergötland club had other ideas and played an extremely impressive series, neutralizing the northern club’s star- forwards and taking many opportunities on the counterattack.

Match 1

Luleå were totally outplayed in the first match in their home arena and the visitors came out winners 3-0 with goals from Austrian, Denise Altmann, Finn Susanna Tapani and Swede, Pernilla Winberg.

Match 2

The second game in Linköping also saw the underdogs dominate. They forechecked the champions high in their defensive zone or stripped the puck from the Norrbotten team in the mid zone, minimizing entry into the defensive zone and therefore taking out the Luleå best weapon - their strike capability. Goals from Tapani, Winberg and an assist for Altmann on Canadian and NWHL drafted, Kennedy Marchment’s goal secured the 3-1 victory, the second in the series for Linköping.

Match 3

What had been unthinkable beforehand suddenly seemed possible- that Linköping could take the title on home ice with a clean sweep over the northerners. But Luleå did not lie down, took an early goal and then crushed their opponents in the third period ending up 1-5 on the night. Goals by Swedes, Emma Nordin, Melinda Olsson and Linn Peterson as well as Finns, Jenni Hiirkoski and Petra Nieminen.

Match 4

The fourth match saw a return to Luleå but the former champions could not capitalize on their previous victory. So, for the first two periods they again seemed to lose their way as Linköping confidently shutdown their opponents’ offense and created many of their own opportunities. But when Luleå scored the 2-2 goal early in the third, the momentum shifted and Luleå sensed victory as Linköping saw their chance of taking gold slip away. It took just 2:31 of overtime to see Finnish international, Michelle Karvinen to net and the home side gained victory and send the series into a Match 5 decider.

Match 5

It says a lot for the quality of the SDHL this year, and these two teams in particular, that the final should go all the way to five matches. But having the chance to secure victory on their home ice in front of nearly 5000 fans meant suddenly Luleå produced their best hockey completely dismantling their opponents in the first period.

The omens were not good for Linköping when Luleå’s Nordin scored after only 23 seconds of play. 20 minutes later the match, and series, was effectively over with the home team leading 4-0 after further goals from Rebecca Stenberg, Peterson and Finn, Noora Tulus.

This was Stenberg’s last professional match and her second goal on the night made it 5-1 to Luleå with over half the game to play.

The result was never in doubt and with a 3-2 series victory over Linköping, Luleå/ MSSK can proudly boast that they are Swedish national champions for the second year in a row.

Despite losing in overtime last night, Färjestad BK take home to regular season championship race, but only on goal difference, from Luleå HF.

Both teams finished with 101 points for the season, averaging 2 points a game, but Färjestad had the largest goal difference in the whole league with +51 - 13 points ahead of rivals Luleå who they beat 3-0 at home on Tuesday in Karlstad.

This league topping goal difference is due to a team effort. So that when you look at the league’s +/- statistics for the regular season Fãrjestad players dominate, taking eight of the top ten places. Right back Jens Westin led the way with +21. Otherwise it was 2016 Boston Bruins drafted Oskar Steen and other forwards including Linus Johansson, Daniel Viksten, Gustaf Rydahl and Jesper Olofsson who filled the top spots.

Their new signing for the season, Finland’s Jesse Virtanen (pictured) picking up the best scoring defenseman in the league with 41pts (6G+35A) putting him in an impressive fourth place on Total Points behind the SHL’s top forwards in Ryan Lasch (FHC), Joakim Lindström (SKE) and Derek Roy (LHC). Meanwhile, Färjestad forward Joakim Nygård was second on goal scored with 21.

And with this club it is very much a Swedish victory - there are only Nordic players on the roster and all but three are Swedes. Furthermore, the team has no NHL match experience whatsoever and of the six players who have played in the AHL no-one has played more than half a season in the league. For example, keeper Mark Werner, drafted by Colorado Avalanche in 2016 played just 4 matches for their AHL outfit, San Antonio Rampage last year.

Back in Sweden, he and Markus Svensson both finished high up in the netminder’s competition with SVS% of 92.63 and 91.96 putting them in third and sixth behind winner Joel Lassinantti of Luleå.

Svensson maybe one if they keys players in the playoffs. Last time Färjestad were in the final was 2014, but it was Svensson and Skellefteå AIK that denied the Karlstad team the title. That was his second title with the Norrbotton club after which he moved to the KHL, only to return to Sweden last autumn.

This home grown group of players now have just one more hurdle to jump - to get successfully through the playoffs so that Färjestad can again be crown as the best in Sweden for the first time since 2011.

After 51 matches each, the final standings in the SHL will come down to the last game of the season. The results in those matches will determine who wins the regular season; who will have to play an extra match in the playoff ; and, who will will stay in the SHL but not get a part in the playoffs.

Positions 1 and 2

Luleå HF must win in regulation and Färjestad BK lose, otherwise the Karlstad club win after their 3-0 home win over Luleå on Tuesday. If Färjestad's Joakim Nygård, pictured, scores two goals he could also take over the goal scoring competition from Djurgården's Emil Bemström.

Positions 6 and 7

Malmö Redhawks must win in regulation and Skellefteå AIK lose if the Skåne team are to go sixth. Both play matches against teams where they are not automatically favourite to win. In the unlikely event Skelleftea's Joakim Lindström scores eight points in the game against Rögle BK he could take the Total Points competition off Frölunda Indians, Ryan Lasch.

Positions 10 to 12

Only two points separate Örebro HK, Brynäs IF and Linköping HC, but one club will get to play playoff hockey this year. Permutations are complicated but if we just talk about straight regulation wins and losses we can see that:

If Örebro win they are through.

If Brynäs win and Örebro lose they are through.

If Linköping win and both Örebro and Brynäs lose they are through.

What's going to happen?

Looking at the fixtures, I would go for Färjestad, Malmö and Örebro as the teams most likely to triumph in their quest for first, sixth and tenth spot.

Thursday's matches (with teams involved in must win games, highlighted):

Luleå v Växjö

Rögle v Skellefteå

Mora v Timrå

Färjestad v Djurgården

Malmö v Örebro

HV71 v Linköping

Frölunda v Brynäs

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

THE GAME PLAN

Linköping HC will have to focus on defense and blocking shots to protect netminder Eveliina Suonpää and hope for frustration and mistakes from Luleå. At the same time they need forwards Kennedy Marchment & Co. to be 100% focused and take the chances that come, such as Power Play, where defender Sidney Morin will be a key creative player. Expect the underdogs to try grind out wins with one or two goal margins.

Luleå HF will go for out-shooting their opponents with their super talented forwards of Emma Nordin, Michelle Karvinen and defender Jenni Hiirkoski. and relying on netminder Sara Grahn at the back.

They have shown absolutely no respect for their opponents in quarterfinals and semis, trying to blow them off the ice with their superiority by going for hard and fast starts where they crush the opponent’s morale in the first period with two or three goals.

Last year Luleå won the series 2-1, with an overwhelming third match victory at home. During the season the teams have met four times and it was 3-1 to last year's champions. Few would bet again a similar result in the best of five series that starts in Luleå tonight at 18:15 on SVT.

4. GOALTENDING: Sara Grahn/ Maria Omberg (SWE) v Eveliina Suonpää (FIN)

In a reversal of the forwards and backs situation, Luleå have the best Swedes in the league on their team, whilst Linköping have the best Finn playing in Europe between pipes. Luleå have the incredible luxury of Sweden's top two netminders on their roster who has ever both played for their country this year. So whilst they may lack in out and out defenders, the club more than make up for that in net. 30 year old Sara Grahn was the league's best netminder with a SVS% of 93.19.

Eveliina Suonpää may have a Olympic bronze medal in her palmeres but she did not play a game at Pyeongchang as Finland's second choice keeper. The 23 year old has not been in in a playoff final before, and will probably need to improve on her 91.49 SVS% from the season for Linköping to be in a chance of an surprise series victory.

SUMMARY: Luleå Sara Grahn is currently the best keeper in the SDHL and has international and club experience in high pressure games that Suonpää lacks. Advantage: Luleå