Rögle Ängelholm have put themselves in a good position to advance to the final four in their first-ever Champions Hockey League campaign following a 5-2 road win over Sparta Prague in the First Game of their Quarter-Final match-up.

It took just 71 seconds for Sparta to open the scoring. Under pressure, Calle Clang stretched out to deny Roman Horák in close, but the Rögle goalie was lying flat on his stomach and Erik Thorell bounced the puck in off his still outretched pad.

Sparta had a couple of chances to extend their first-period lead, with Thorell on the powerplay, and then Buffalo Sabres prospect Jakub Konečný getting denied by Clang, who was outshot 11-7 in the opening period. Rögle tied it on their first powerplay with just 4.4 seconds on the clock, with Leon Bristedt putting in the rebound after Lukas Ekeståhl Jonsson’s shot from the point.

Using that momentum from late in the first, Rögle came out storming to start the second period, peppering Matěj Machovský with shots, and connected for two goals 29 seconds apart. First, Tony Sund sent a wrister from the point through a crowd in front and past a screened Sparta goalie. Then it was Ekeståhl Jonsson from the point finding Adam Tambellini for the one-timer from the high slot.

At that point, Sparta woke up and began pressuring again. They thought they’d got one when the puck was forced over the goal line within a wild scramble but the referee immediately waved it off, claiming Clang had the puck covered before his arm was forced over the line.

Sparta did get within one at 36:13 on a nice set-up from behind the net by Vladimír Sobotka, finding Radek Jeřábek in front with the quick release upstairs. But again, Rögle struck in the last minute of the period, this time courtesy Samuel Johannesson, who quickly converted a pass from Brady Ferguson.

Rögle added to their lead in the third period when Ekeståhl Jonsson added a goal to go along with his two earlier assists at 45:23. The Swedish team did a good job of defending the rest of the way, denying Sparta any good chances of cutting into their aggregate lead, and setting themselves up in fine shape for next week, where they’ll play on home ice starting with a three-goal advantage.