After the big win last time, it was enough with two goals to beat Frölunda and win the semifinal series with 4–2 in matches.
But Luleå's efficiency paid off again.
Luleå was relatively weak in the first period at Scandinavium. But it had only taken 48 seconds of the second period when the team picked up a sloppy Frölunda pass. The puck ended up with Anton Levtchi, who made a quick drag and scored 1–0.
It was new evidence of Luleå's efficiency – and there would be another one.
Rönnberg's last
Frölunda had pressed hard throughout the middle period without getting a reward when Luleå, after less than two minutes of the final period, found the right way again.
The goal scorer this time: Brendan Shinnimin, who scored two of the goals when Luleå secured the match ball via 5–1 at home on Sunday.
The whole second period felt like we were defending the goal we had. In the third, we take a little more space and make the second, and it's a bit easier to play on 2–0, says Luleå's outstanding goalkeeper Matteus Ward to TV4 Play.
The 2–0 goal came as another cold shower for Frölunda – and for Roger Rönnberg, who after the season leaves for the Swiss top club Fribourg-Gottéron after twelve years as coach for the Gothenburg club.
Ward's great play
Frölunda was already under pressure to win to avoid the season – and Rönnberg's time as coach – ending abruptly on Tuesday.
It looked also significantly better than on Sunday. But the sharpness and margins were not on Gothenburg's side.
Henrik Tömmernes had a shot on the goal frame in the middle period and with ten minutes left of the match, Frölunda managed to push in a reducing puck – but got the goal disallowed.
Instead, the great-playing Luleå goalkeeper Matteus Ward kept his zero both then and during Frölunda's desperate reducing hunt in the end.
It made less that Brendan Shinnimin hit the post despite an open goal in the final minutes. Two goals were enough for Luleå to secure a duel against Brynäs for the SM gold, starting in Gävle on Saturday.
And that Frölunda had played out for this season.
I'm so proud of these guys. We deserve to be in the final and look forward to it, says Shinnimin to TV4 Play.
April 19: Brynäs–Luleå (15.15).
April 21: Brynäs–Luleå (20.00).
April 23: Luleå–Brynäs (20.00).
April 26: Luleå–Brynäs (15.15).
if needed April 28: Brynäs–Luleå (20.00).
if needed May 1: Luleå–Brynäs (14.00).
if needed May 3: Brynäs–Luleå (15.15).
