- Jonathon Blum registered four points (1G+3A)
- Munich never trailed during the contest
- Košice's Jens Olsson netted two powerplay tallies
Five different players scored for Red Bull Munich as they claimed their second regulation victory in three tries defeating HC Košice 5-2 at Olympia-Eisstadion.
Munich made the most of their home ice advantage in the early going as Austin Ortega and Filip Varejcka scored for the German side to take a 2-0 lead after the first 20 minutes of play.
Ortega opened up the scoring on the powerplay as he received a pass from Jonathon Blum, picked his spot and fired it past a screened Jaroslav Janus at 10:05. Varejcka extended the hosts' lead eight minutes later when he redirected a net-front feed from Andreas Eder.
Košice would eventually break through on the powerplay near the midway mark of the second. Chase Berger slid the puck to Jens Olsson who one-timed it past Mathias Niederberger to halve the hosts' advantage.
Munich wouldn't make things easier on the challengers, however, as Patrick Hager would go on to cushion the Germans' lead with a snapshot past the glove of Janus to make it 3-1. Nicolas Kraemmer was credited with the home side's fourth marker at 38:45 after redirecting a Blum shot-pass off the blade of his skate and into the net.
Košice utilised their coachs' challenge, arguing goaltender interference, but after review the goal stood and the Germans carried a three-goal lead into the third.
Two minutes into the third, another powerplay gave way to another powerplay marker from Olsson as the 38-year-old defenceman made good on his second of the contest, cutting the Slovaks' deficit in half for a second time on the night.
But Blum afforded the home side more breathing room, registering his fourth point and restoring the Germans' three-goal lead moments later when he pounced on a loose puck near the blueline and rifled it into the opponents' net.
Niederberger continued to do his part as time winded down in the third, including fending off an extended Košice powerplay in the final two minutes, as he played foil to the visitors' chance at a comeback denying every opportunity and helping to secure three more vital points for Munich.