Love Härenstam is in a decent shoal.
After finishing the group stage (which was decided in mid-September) with a clean sheet against Medelpad, he went out and played big in the quarter-finals against favorites Småland, saving 28 shots and keeping another clean sheet.
And in today's semi-final against Stockholm Nord, who won three straight titles, he impressed again.
After Norrbotten's Elias Selström sent in 1-0 in the middle of the first period, a strong onslaught from the Stockholmers followed.
They scooped pucks at Härenstam in the goal - who was responsible for one save after another on the shots that managed to find their way through Norrbotten's compact defense.
Stockholm then incurred a two-minute suspension with just under two minutes left to play, which led to the final onslaught failing and Norrbotten being able to win the match.
- I think it's sometimes sloppy play on our part, but they have a good keeper, says Stockholm's Linus Rudslätt Debou.
SVT's hockey expert Jonas Andersson was impressed.
- It is a real feat of Norrbotten.
In the quarter against Småland, it was the stars that stood out, here it is a completely solid team effort, there is not a player who does not block shots, there is not a player who does not fight and give everything... but Love Härenstam, two straight zeros in the playoffs and completely phenomenal in the goal for his Norrbotten, says Andersson.
The last time Norrbotten played a final was in 2002, when they lost against Södermanland 4–3.
In 1985 they took the last victory.