HC Pilsen and Lausanne HC will do it all again next week, but it will be the Swiss side who start that game with a narrow advantage thanks to a one-goal win in Pilsen.

In a game played at some serious pace throughout, it was also one devoid of any real clear-cut scoring chances for either team in the opening 20 minutes. For the hosts, Milan Gulaš was at the heart of most of the better offensive opportunities, though Tobias Stephan was never really called into emergency action. Dominic Frodl made the opening 20 minutes’ most notable save in front, although Lausanne would have felt they should have troubled him more.

In period two the sides continued to play at speed, but Lausanne grew into the came with some half-chances of their own. After a few waves of sustained pressure, it was eventually Jakub Pour that broke the deadline, finding the top shelf as he skated in 2-on-1 with a little under 35 minutes played.

Pilsen’s lead however only lasted three and a half minutes as Joel Vermin slotted past Frodl from close range to level things a little against the run of play. While the hosts had the better of the chances in the final period, it was a nice finish from Joel Genazzi that decided the game on the night, and means Lausanne will start one up next week in the return game.