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SDHL, the Swedish women’s hockey league, was the first series to start during the crown fall. And at Hovet in Stockholm, the season started with a derby.
Local team Djurgården reached the semi-finals of the Swedish Championship this spring. Guest SDE reached the quarterfinals for the first time.
Djurgården lacked the selection that veteran goalkeeper Lovisa Berndtsson (cold) deserved. Then it was SDE’s Canadian Lindsey Post who was able to show why she was named the best goalkeeper in the league last season with a 94.2 save percentage.
In the first period Djurgården won the shooting statistics at 17-4, but it was SDE who led 1-0 after Djurgården neglected in his own zone and let Kelty Apperson find the gap behind new second goalkeeper Wilma Nilsson.
In the second half, Djurgården’s Julia Östlund had an open goal and Alice Östensson hit the crossbar. But an effective SDE first made it 2-0 (Magdalena Walicova) and five minutes later it was time again.
Talent SDE Astrid Lindeberg is the third youngest player in the entire SDHL. They are now 3-0 in games outnumbered after a tough situation in which Wilma Nilsson saved two situations for the first time.
The 15-year-old had to play 31 games in the SDHL already last season and then accounted for a goal. On Saturday, he showed why he is one of the big names in the future of Swedish hockey.
– It was a lot of fun, exciting with the first game, says Lindeberg.
– I have missed all the training matches we have had this year. First I was out with the U18 team and then I got sick. I was very nervous before the game. But it went well.
What does it mean to be so confident?
– Much. It’s fun meeting the grown-ups.
Djurgården then? It was not the day of the home team. Despite 20 shots in the second half against all eight guests, there was still a zero on the board as the players in front of the empty stands came off the ice for the final break. And it did not improve in the last period.
The Lindsey Post kept playing big and there were never any goals at home.
SDE won 4-0 after a final goal with an empty goal (Leanne Ganney) and will play a new match already on Sunday, away against Linköping.
For Djurgården expect a new derby, at home against AIK on Monday.
– Then we will really come out as a better team and put the puck in, says seasoned Djurgård player Julia Östlund.
– Of course it is sad to lose the premiere of the series, we fired many shots but its goalkeeper was upside down.
She continues:
– It is clear that it is frustrating, but it is the first game so you have to have a little patience. 35 matches remain.
