Oceláři Třinec had leads of 2-0 and 3-1 but saw visiting Skellefteå AIK come back to tie it before current CHL Top Scorer Libor Hudáček scored the game-winning goal with 3:54 to play in the First Game. As a result, Třinec will take a one-goal aggregate lead into northern Sweden next week.

In the first period, Skellefteå outshot the home team 8-4 but Třinec connected on half of their shots to take a 2-0 lead. Less than two minutes in, Petr Vrána won a face-off in the attacking zone and Jakub Jeřábek’s wrister from the boards found the far low corner. Then on the team’s first powerplay opportunity, Marko Daňo found Martin Růžička, whose one-timer from a sharp angle found the net.

Třinec had a glorious chance to go up three early in the second period when Hudáček got a breakaway. However, Gustaf Lindvall stopped his backhand attempt and Skellefteå scored on the quick counterattack. From behind the net, Rickard Hugg’s backhand pass found Linus Lindström who picked a spot over Ondřej Kacetl’s blocker.

The two teams traded goals just 1:21 apart early in the third period. Daniel Kurovský restored Třinec’s two-goal lead when he converted a rebound after Viliam Čacho’s point shot. But then Måns Forsfjäll’s shot through a crowd brought Skellefteå back within one. Třinec challenged the play for goaltender interference, but it was ruled that the Skellefteå player in front was pushed into Kacetl.

Just seconds after the goal, Skellefteå went to the powerplay with a chance to draw even. They didn’t score on that opportunity but they did on their third powerplay after Třinec were called for too many players on the ice. Dylan Sikura picked up the puck below the goal line and tucked it inside the point to tie the score with 7:39 to go.

But despite blowing a two-goal advantage, Třinec were able to regain the lead with less than four minutes to go in their home game when Hudáček, stationed at the side of the net, converted a backdoor pass from Andrej Nestrašil. Skellefteå challenged the play for offside but the goal stood.