Matteus Ward Aims for Championship Glory with Luleå in SHL Playoffs

For a club that has only won one, single national championship gold, the players from the 1996 gold team are almost immortal.

Not least the Finnish goalkeeper star Jarmo Myllys got iconic status up in Norrbotten's residence city.

Matteus Ward may have a hard time measuring up to Myllys yet – but a national championship gold would make him just as big in that respect anyway.

While Myllys was in his best years during the gold – the 30-year-old became World Championship gold goalkeeper in Globen 1995 and had played in the NHL – the Nyköping product is only at the beginning of his career.

Can become MVP

Matteus Ward was the SHL's winningest goalkeeper in the regular season, but has found another level and is mentioned as a candidate for the Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy, the prize for the playoffs' most valuable player.

Ward has won 10 of 13 matches in the playoffs and has a save percentage of 92.74.

It's really fun with the playoffs, then I try not to make it bigger than it is. It's regular matches. Go out and try to have fun and enjoy the moment. It's few who get to play in the playoffs, so I just try to stay calm and cool, says Ward.

The calm he shows during the matches has become one of his hallmarks.

Something forward star Brian O'Neill, two-goal scorer when Luleå got the match ball against Brynäs, highlights.

"Really cool"

He's really, really cool. He gives us a lot of confidence and it's just to look at the difference between our goalkeeper and their goalkeepers, says O'Neill.

Luleå has the match ball and gold position ahead of the sixth final against Brynäs on Thursday.

So how do you keep your cool ahead of a boiling home arena?

It will surely be a little nervous, but I try to keep them in check and then we go out and do our best, he says and adds:

It's what you want when you play hockey, to win the gold. Now we have the chance. We'll try to make the most of the situation, but not think too much. It's a regular hockey match.

Ward's season has made him interesting for NHL clubs, but he told the local newspaper NSD before the final that he's staying in Luleå next season.

If Brynäs blows Ward and his Luleå off the party, it will be a seventh and decisive final on Saturday in Gävle.