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Luleå is on the brink of losing an SDHL playoff series for the first time since 2017. Despite outshooting Frölunda 41-18 on Friday evening, despite spending eight full minutes on the power play, and despite tying the game late (more on that later), the reigning champs dropped Game 2, 2-1 at home.
Frölunda’s goaltender Stephanie Neatby was excellent, stopping 40 of 41 shots. She made saves every which way — with excellent box control, amid scrambles, on her feet and on her rear end. She has earned the right to be lauded for her performance.
The same cannot be said for the SDHL officials who, for the second straight game, seemed to struggle under the spotlight of the league final. Officials are human, and thus, fallible. No one is contending that their mistakes are intentional, or that they are bad people, or that they should be perfect. But the level of officiating throughout the SDHL playoffs, and in the Finals especially, has not matched the level of the athletes competing in the league. Strong women are, all too often, being penalized for being strong. They are being penalized for competitive play, like shoving after the whistle. They are being penalized for physical play, which seems strange at a time when Sweden has made headlines all over the hockey world for being the first women’s league to allow body checking.
With Frölunda leading 2-1 in the third period, Luleå’s Savannah Norcross scored a beautiful clutch goal to tie things up and bring the 3000 fans in attendance to their feet. She crashed the net, deftly collected a rebound in traffic, slid the puck past the goalie and celebrated mid-air, like a modern day Bobby Orr. Norcross was mobbed by her teammates. It was the type of playoff goal that every hockey playing kid dreams of scoring. Tie game, ten minutes remaining on the clock. Playoff hockey at its best.
Just kidding. The goal was overturned after video review.
This is the Final. Emotions are high, because these athletes care deeply about the outcome of the games. They are professionals. Jobs are at stake. Let them play hard-hitting, intense, playoff hockey with officials who can keep up.
Game 3 is Sunday in Frölunda. Over 4000 tickets have been sold.
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