- Andrew Rowe notched 2 goals including the game-winner
- Ingolstadt stay perfect
- Salzburg still winless through three games
Red Bull Salzburg entered their match against ERC Ingolstadt in a must-win situation, but a two-goal effort from Andrew Rowe would spoil the Austrians' chance of securing their first win as Ingolstadt would go on to defeat Salzburg in a 2-1 decision. Salzburg have now lost three in a row, while the Germans, who haven't participated in the Champions Hockey League since the 2016/17 campaign, have remained perfect through their first three affairs.
Teams exchanged powerplays through the first 20 minutes forcing Michael Garteig and Atte Tolvanen to make a few darling saves to keep the scoreboard blank, with the Germans leading the Austrians 8-5 in shots heading into the second period.
A scoreless first made way for a three-goal second that saw each side execute incredible individual efforts.
Salzburg broke the deadlock when Chay Genoway picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, sped down the wing and tucked it past Garteig on the far side on a wrap-around attempt for a short-handed tally.
Later in the second, however, Ingolstadt had a resurgence thanks to Andrew Rowe who notched two in a little over two minutes.
Rowe got his team on board at 36:16 after he forced a turnover at his own blueline, skated in on a partial breakaway, faked the feed off the far wing and slid the puck five hole. The American winger then gave the Austrians their first lead of the night off a wrister from the far circle. Rowe received a pass from Travis St. Denis, glided in and then elevated the puck over the glove of Tolvanen.
Salzburg started to threaten Ingolstadt in the final frame, but the Germans were able to frustrate the hosts' chances and keep shots to low-danger areas.
With under two minutes to go, Salzburg opted for the empty net in an attempt to find the equaliser but Garteig denied every opportunity while the defence was able to clear pucks away. The home side kept the pressure up until the final horn, but were unable to solve Ingolstadt's netminder as they fell on home ice.