Luleå sweeps Brynäs to become SDHL Champions

They’ve done it again. Luleå have won SM gold. This is the team’s third consecutive championship and first since 2019 — the 2020 SDHL final was canceled due to the pandemic.

Luleå/MSSK är svenska mästare 2021. Norrbottningarna vände 0-2 till seger efter övertid i den tredje finalen och därmed vinner de finalserien mot Brynäs med 3-0 i matcher.#SDHLhttps://t.co/h780oMzwqC pic.twitter.com/ZiNKGv7aNI

— SDHL.se (@SDHLse) March 29, 2021

Yesterday, Luleå completed a series sweep over Brynäs with a second consecutive overtime win in Game 3 at home. Petra Nieminen scored the game-winner, her sixth goal of the postseason, after also scoring the OT GWG in Game 2. She was one of three skaters to lead the championship team in scoring with 10 points — the other two were Noora Tulus and Michela Cava. It’s also worth noting that captain Jenni Hiirikoski had nine points, including three in Game 1 of the final against Brynäs.

Nieminen certainly shined for Luleå when it mattered most but she wasn’t alone. Goaltender Sara Grahn was superb between the pipes. She was in net for all eight wins, finishing the postseason with two shutouts and a .937 save percentage. Game 2’s 4-3 OT win against Brynäs was the only game of the playoffs in which Grahn allowed more than two goals.

• Game 1 | 6-1 win for Luleå, GWG: Ronja Savolainen
• Game 2 | 4-3 OT Win for Luleå, GWG: Ronja Savolainen
• Game 3 | 3-2 OT Win for Luleå, GWG: Petra Nieminen/

Luleå was also the champion of the SDHL regular season, finishing with 99 points and an impressive 32 regulation wins in 36 games and just two regulation losses. They have once again lived up to their reputation as the top franchise of not just the SDHL, but of all Europe.