Luleå had 8 straight wins and +28 in goal difference before today's game. Nothing really spoke for the guests from Gävle. But it became a drama until the end.
Otherwise, as expected, it was Luleå who took the lead. After just over 8 minutes, the first puck was in the net. And it was a real delicacy.
Petra Nieminen got the puck and advanced herself towards the Brynäs goal and pulled to the left with her body and got Klara Peslarova into the visitors' goal while she teasingly swept the puck in with her stick with an outstretched arm to the right. A goal that was strongly reminiscent of the classic goals by Kenta Nilsson in 1989 and Peter Forsberg in 1994.
"Yes, it's delicious," exclaimed SVT's commentator Chris Härenstam.
Finnish cooperation to 2-0
Brynäs held up pretty well, had some puck and two frame hits in the first period. But in the second period, it was instead Luleå who extended.
Noora Tulus was fouled by man of the match Vivvi Vainikka. Tulus was given plenty of time and was able to aim Peslarova's right cross, where the puck was.
"Nice play in the middle zone and nice play by Vivvi. I get a lot of space and my job is to put the puck on goal, said Tulus to SVT Sport about the 2-0 goal.
In the end, Brynäs got a reward for their sometimes fine play. The visitors took advantage of a lazy defensive play by the home team. The reduction came with just over five minutes left. A 2-on-1 situation where Jenniina Nylund put the puck there.
Nordin – most goal-scoring assistant
Luleå looked shaken for a moment but then pressed down on the gas. A nice attack gave 3-1 by Jenni Hiirikoski. Emma Nordin was responsible for the performance, which thus made history. No one has ever made more assists in the SDHL than Nordin.
Brynäs created tension towards the end when Hanna Thuvik made it 2-3 with minutes left and had a couple of shot attempts in the final seconds. But Luleå held on and won 3-2.