Comfortable win for Lakers over Red Bulls

(Photo: Fredrik Sten | Swe Press Photo)

Ortega hits hat-trick for Lakers
Trattnig & Raffl with goals for Red Balls
Victor Andrén saves 90% of shots

Växjo Lakers bounced back from their surprise home defeat to SC Bern with a 5-2 defeat of Red Bull Salzburg - thanks in no small part to a hat-trick from Austin Ortega.

Ortega struck early with a rocket of a shot in the powerplay, and after Janne Pesonen doubled that lead the Lakers rarely looked back. Matthias Trattnig halved the deficit just past the 25 minute mark, but Czech international Roman Horák re-established the two-goal cushion at 32:16.

Ortega struck again six minutes into the final session, and although Tommy Raffl did pull another back for Salzburg, Ortega's empty netter secured three points for his team and four on the night for himself.

"We worked very well on special teams. There were lots of penalties for both teams, but our powerplay was very good and that was the difference tonight." Austin Ortega (Växjö Lakers)

"It was a different game than last time. It was faster tonight. They scored two on the powerplay and we were too weak defensively and that’s the main reason we lost tonight." Matthias Tratting (Red Bull Salzburg)