Women's play-offs 2019 in Sweden

The women’s play-offs will start today in Sweden. The women’s quarter-finals are played with a best of five playing system. In the men’s play-offs three quarter-final matches have already been played (best of seven).

Women’s quarter-finals

The teams placed 1-4 have selected their opponents and it is time for the first play-off matches.

Täby (4th placed team) – Endre (5th placed team)
The teams have met two times before in the play-offs and Täby has won both play-off series. Endre’s Sara Steen was the top scorer in her team with 65 (34+31) points in 26 matches. Täby’s Moa Tschöp, who was elected player of the year last season, was Täby’s top scorer with 58 (20+38) points in 26 matches. Interestingly, Täby’s coaching duo Tomas Davies and Jonas Delshammar informed only two days ago that they will not continue to lead the team during the play-offs.

Pixbo (3rd placed team) – Västerås Rönnby (6th placed team)
These teams have a long history in the play-offs and have met sevent times. The previous time they met was in the quarter-finals last seson when Pixbo won the series 3-1 in matches. During the regular season Västerås Rönnby beat Pixbo in the last round. But Pixbo Wallenstam has reached (at least) the semi-finals during the last five seasons and in 2016 they won their only gold.

KAIS Mora (2nd placed team) – Jönköping (7th placed team)These teams have never met in the play-offs. During the regular season KAIS Mora was the team winning both matches (9-6 and 9-5). The KAIS Mora duo, Anna Wijk and Johanna Hultgren, are amongst the most dangerous forwards in the SSL. Wijk had 60 assists in the regular season and Hultgren scored 45 goals. The top scorer of Jönköping this regular season was Felicia Glad, who collected 34 (18+16) points in 24 matches.

IKSU (1st placed team) – Dalen (8th placed team)
These two teams from Umeå know each other well and many of the players have played in the same club earlier. IKSU’s Veera Kauppi made a new all-time record in the SSL with 91 (60+31) points, one point more than the previous record. 60 goals was also a new women’s SSL goal record. IKSU has two consecutive golds and can get their 7th victory. Dalen is in the play-offs for the first time in four seasons.

This is how the SSL coaches had predicted the women’s regular season standings:

1. KAIS Mora IF
2. IKSU
3. Endre IF
4. Pixbo Wallenstam IBK
5. Täby FC IBK
6. Västerås Rönnby IBK
7. IBK Dalen
8. IK Sirius FBC
9. Malmö FBC
10. Karlstad IBF
11. Warberg IC
12. Jönköpings IK
13. IBK Göteborg
14. Örnsköldsvik IBK

Men’s play-offs

The three first men’s quarter-final matches have been played and both Storvreta and Falun are leading their quarter-final series 3-0. Dalen and Mullsjö are currently leading 2-1 in matches.