Dalen Continues to Heat Up, Neatby and Nystrøm Shine in Wednesday Night Wins

Andrea Dalen continues to heat up in SDHL action. Here's a look at Wednesday night's games.

Linköping 0 - Frölunda 3

Frölunda escaped the first period on Wednesday evening with a 1-0 lead on the strength of a late Andrea Dalen goal. LHC pushed back in the second and generated a handful of good chances on the power play, but when Frölunda’s players were beaten, Stephanie Neatby made the saves needed to preserve the lead. Thirteen minutes into the final frame, Dalen tallied again, this time shorthanded, to give her team a two goal cushion. The veteran forward completed her hat trick with thirty-seven seconds remaining when she potted an empty netter to make the final score 3-0. Dalen has been heating up recently, and has notched seven points (5+2) in her last five games. Her return to form will be welcome news to both Frölunda and Team Norway, with whom she is set to compete in the upcoming Final Olympic Qualification tournament in February. Neatby made 23 saves, many of the spectacular variety, in the win.

Djurgården 2 - Brynäs 4

Despite being outshot and often outplayed, Brynäs escaped Hovet with their fourth straight win. DIF outshot the visitors 12-4 in the opening period and, somewhat predictably, drew first blood. Sara Säkkinen got a pair of whacks at a rebound, despite being surrounded by Brynäs defenders, and finally put the puck past Brynäs goaltender Ena Nystrøm to make the score 1-0 Djurgården. Halfway through the second period, Brynäs equalised: Jenniina Nylund waltzed into the slot and ripped a backhand shot high glove side, making it a 1-1 game. In the final frame, Brynäs’ Matilda Österman and Sanni Vanhanen scored in quick succession to give their team a perhaps undeserved 3-1 lead. Brynäs seemingly had more giveaways than shots in this game. Their inability to break out of their zone resulted in turnovers, high percentage scoring chances, and, fortunately for them, save after save by Nystrøm. DIF’s efforts were finally rewarded again when Czech wunderkind Tereza Plosová drove wide past PWHL veteran defender Maude Poulin-Labelle before depositing the puck between Nystrøm’s pads to make it a one goal game. That is as close as DIF would get. Nystrøm stopped 26 of 28 for the win. Brynäs scored 4 goals on 18 shots, including an empty-netter.