March is here and so are the playoffs in the NHL (Norwegian Hockey League)
We chose to play our biggest rival, the 'Red Team' from our neighboring city of Fredrikstad. To give you a little back drop on this series; Our soccer team plays in the Adecco League in Norway, which is one league below the Elite League. Fredrikstad's soccer team played in the top league but last season they had a rough year and had to play in the Qualification playoff in order to stay in the top league. Our soccer team finished in the top 3 of the Adecco league so they also earned the right to play in the Qualification playoff. Well you see where this story is going, Sarpsborg play Fredrikstad in Fredrikstad and the stars aligned and the 'Blue Team' beat the 'Red Team' in their stadium. The qualification playoff ended with Sarpsborg and Fredrikstad both in the Adecco League. The deep deep rivalry between these two cities had another chapter written on the soccer field, when we chose the 'Red Team' in the Quarter finals this year the next chapter was to be played out on the ice.
The series started out just as we had hoped, we were all over them in our rink. We scored a good goal that was a direct result of hard work and smart plays. Then they got their first chance of the series, and it was tied 1-1. Then we took the play back to them...but a small turn over and the their second chance made it 2-1 them. I had seen 3 shots and 2 of them went in. Within seconds their 4th shot made it 3-1 Sterjen and this one, I should have stopped. So I took a deep breath, glanced at the bench to see if my back-up was putting his stuff on, and shook it off. The coach was going to leave me in and we could fight back. We scored to make it 3-2 a few minutes later, and I made a save which was a nice feeling. Then everyone in the rink thought we had tied it in the last minutes of the first period but the goal was waived off because Niklas kicked it in. In the second and third, we took the play to them, and I settled down and kept them off the scoreboard. However, their goalie, Pal Grotnes, Norway's Olympic goalie played well and we lost the game 4-2 after allowing an empty net goal in the last minute of play. I felt good about the last 15 shots I faced but this was a game that I should have been better.
Game 2 was a Saturday afternoon game in their rink. There was plenty of excitement in the building but our fans were not there in the numbers we all expected, partly because the game was on TV and partly because our fans don't like to spend their money in Fredrikstad (seriously). Well I felt good in warm-ups and then... bam.... the second shot went in. It was a shot that changed direction slightly but no one wants to hear excuses, it looked AWFUL. I kind of smiled to myself took another deep breath and reminded myself that we will score more than one goal today and just play hockey. Well that was enough self talk because the period ended with the shots 13-12 and we were up 3-1. In the second and third I felt really good and this time the empty net goal would go to the 'Blue Team' and the series was tied 1-1.
Game 3 was back in our rink tonight. This game was a little more reserved, neither team taking all that many risks and it remained 0-0 well into the second period. Rene Boe, a local guy who was recently promoted to the first line due to an injury, broke the scoreless tie when he one timed a shot off the post and in to give us a 1-0 lead. The next face-off, we won and they intercepted our pass, 3 on 2 turned into a break-a-way and the the game was tied again. He beat me over the glove. We answered with 2 power-play goals both good shots from the blue line and we held a 2 goal lead going into the third. We were all business in the third, the buzzer sounded and we now have a 2-1 lead in the series. Wednesday is game 4 in Fredrikstad.
The legendary hockey personality Don Cherry once said "As game 4 goes, so goes the series." Wednesday is a huge game!
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