- Penalty kills were excellent for both sides
- Mathias Niederberger earned his first shutout of the season
- Powerplay woes for Třinec were costly
Mathias Niederberger authored a 24-save shutout in Red Bull Munich's 2-0 victory over Oceláři Třinec to improve their record to 1-1 this season. Both clubs were determined to get their first win with one bound to do it as Munich broke through in the third and never let up.
Powerplays were the storyline in the first with both the Czechs and Germans exchanging chances but to no result.
Munich went up on a two-man advantage after Adam Smith and Patrik Hrehorčák were called for minors one minute apart, but the visitors struggled to execute. Likewise, the hosts had their opportunity but both penalty kills stayed perfect as the first 20 minutes ended with the score level at zero.
The goaltending clinic continued in the second as Niederberger and Marek Mazanec succeeded in stifling every opportunity, and although both netminders stayed busy, it was Mazanec's stop on 2019 CHL MVP Trevor Parkes that was the highlight of the period.
Parkes found himself all alone at the top of the crease but Mazanec's glove was there to deny the Canadian's backhand attempt and keep the game scoreless.
Another quality opportunity for Munich featured another spectacular save by Mazanec who denied a Ben Smith chance close to nine minutes into the third. Austin Ortega skated down the right wing before dishing a cross-crease feed to Smith who fired it on net towards a sprawling Mazanec who turned it aside.
Where Smith failed, Ryan McKiernan succeeded when the defenceman found a loose puck at the top of the crease and easily deposited it into a yawning cage after Mazanec was caught out of position to secure the first goal of the game and his first goal of the competition at 51:18.
Třinec tried their best to even things up, utilising their timeout and the extra attacker in the closing minutes of the third, but sound defensive play from Munich frustrated any chances the Czechs had and as Andreas Eder tucked in an empty-netter with a little over two minutes remaining, the outcome was all but sealed with the visitors taking three valuable points in Czechia.