Game 3
The first period finished 0-0 with Skellefteå AIK probably feeling pleased with themselves creating 6 minutes of Power Play action against the home team, Växjö Lakers.
But in the second, the first goal would appear go to Lakers' Andrew Calof who shot, then slammed in the rebound that came off Skellefteå keeper, Joni Ortio. The puck had flown high in the air after the first shot, and the Canadian waited patiently for it to come below the goal's crossbar before swatting it out of the air like a dead fly and into the net. But it turned out Calof should have waited a few milliseconds more - the video referee waved the goal off, a decision that could easily have gone either way.
The miss spurred on Skellefteå and finally, after seven periods without a goal against the team from Småland, Oscar Möller beautifully deflected in the puck from a shot from the blue line.
But their first lead in the series lasted only 4 minutes as Lakers' defenseman Oliver Bohm also netted with a skillful deflection in front of goal.
It was be another Rosén-Pettersson show that give the home team the lead. As Robert Rosén took the puck clockwise around the back of the goal, that would give Elias Pettersson time to creep into the slot unmarked and tap in the timely backhand pass from the 30 year old Swede.
And despite great forward play of Skellefteå in the third period, it was Calof who would get the first goal, finally get on the scoresheet on a counterattack. Receiving the puck in the offensive zone with no one in front of him, it felt like a reprise of his penalty from the last game. This time the 26-year-old made no mistake, smashing the puck into the top right corner for 3-1.
And that's how it remained until, who else but, Elias Pettersson scored the empty net goal to make it 4-1 at the finish.
Skellefteå's best match was not enough and they go 0-3 in the series, knowing that tomorrow they could see Växjö Lakers win the Le Mat Trophy on their home ice in the Kraft Arena.
@ABritOnThinIce1
