Defencemen were the difference makers for Färjestad Karlstad as the Swedish side handed the Stavanger Oilers their first loss of the 2023/24 Champions Hockey League campaign with a 4-2 win. David Tomášek potted the game-winner and Carl Lindbom made 23 saves to secure Färjestad's victory.

Both clubs had their legs going early, but it was Martin Gran who dealt the first blow when he put his team on the board on the powerplay. An Axel Bergkvist minor penalty sent the home side to their first man-advantage where some smart passing below the dots gave Gran the opportunity to hammer home a one-timer to open up the scoring.

With the period nearing its end, Färjestad kept the pressure up and their tenacity paid off when Joel Nyström netted the equaliser with under a minute to go in the first frame. The defenceman made a nifty spin-o-rama move at the top of the far circle before fluttering a backhand that found its way past an unsuspecting Henrik Holm and into the net.

Following the first 20 minutes, both clubs were level at 1 apiece with shot totals nearly identical at 12 - 9 in favour of the hosts.

A close call opened up second-period action as Greg Mauldin was believed to have put Stavanger on top on a breakaway but after review, it was determined the puck did not fully cross the line thanks to Färjestad's Jeremy Groleau who scooped the puck out of danger to keep both sides even.

Near the midway mark of the period, it would be the visitors who would take their first lead of the night when Marcus Nilsson fed the puck to August Tornberg who redirected it past Holm. The play began from Färjestad's blueline as Nilsson received the puck along the far boards and then found Tornberg in the slot for the conversion.

The Swedes entered the third still leading 2-1 and wasted no time extending their advantage. Tomášek ripped one past Holm on the powerplay to give his club a two-goal cushion just three and half minutes into the period. Nilsson and Nyström added to their points total with assists on the tally.

Stavanger cut the lead in half off a backhander from Anders Henriksen. Henriksen skated down the slot where he corraled a saucer feed from Mauldin before shifting the puck to his backhand and lifting it into the net to give the Norwegians some life with eight minutes to go in the final stanza.

Despite their desperate play, however, the Norwegians were unable to complete the comeback and it was Michael Lindqvist who sealed his club's first win of the season with the empty-netter for a 4-2 final.