Dam Good: Wakefield makes waves for Linköping

Jennifer Wakefield made a big splash for Linköping against SDE on Oct. 18. Heading into Sunday’s game, Wakefield had two goals in four games. She scored a goal in each period against SDE to pick up her first hat trick of the season, lifting Linköping to a 5-2 victory.

The gifted forward paid the price to complete her hat trick a little over seven minutes into the third period. Wakefield was tripped up from behind and crashed into the right post of SDE’s net after completing a gorgeous give-and-go with Madelen Haug Hansen. Fortunately, she was able to finish the game and celebrate with her teammates.

Wakefield, 31, is playing for her fourth SDHL team in four years. She’s one of the biggest North American stars in Sweden with an Olympic gold and silver to her name in addition to two SDHL championships. In 2019-20, Wakefield had 28 points — 13 goals, 15 assists — in 30 games for Djurgården after missing the majority of the 2018-19 campaign with an injury. Her big game against SDE is proof that she’s still one of the best finishers in the game — a reputation she’s had since her collegiate career at the University of New Hampshire and Boston University.

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Dam Good: Healey heats up for HV71

Three Crowns

Here are three performances worthy of hardware from the last week of SDHL action.

1. Center Michelle Löwenhielm helped HV71 come back from a 0-3 deficit against Lulea on Sunday by picking up points on four consecutive goals, including a secondary assist on Jessica Healey’s overtime winner. Löwenhielm finished the game with one goal three assists to lead all skaters on both teams in scoring. She also scored the game-tying goal halfway through the third period on the power play. The Swedish star has three goals and 12 assists in 11 games for HV71 this season, yet is somehow only fourth on HV71 in scoring.
2. Kateřina Mrázová had a hat trick and picked up an assist for Brynäs in their 8-5 shootout against Leskand. Look,  let’s be real here. Mrázová is one of those players who is and has been so good in the SDHL that she can make the cut for “Three Crowns” pretty much every week, but it’s hard to ignore her picking up a four-point game in a contest where Brynäs surprisingly had a hard time against a lesser opponent. She’s simply sensational.
3. Norwegian defender Ingrid Morset chose the right moment to score her first goal of the season. The five-year SDHL veteran scored (unassisted) 4:21 seconds into overtime against AIK to break a 0-0 tie and secure the win for Linköping.