Tappara Tampere entered the game needing points to return to the Champions Hockey League Playoffs for the first time since they won the competition in the 2022/23 season. However, visiting Lausanne HC scored the game’s only two goals in the third period to win 2-0. The loss doesn’t officially eliminate Tappara, but they need help elsewhere to finish in the top 16. Lausanne were already in the Playoffs before the game and finish the season with 14 points.

The game was a defensive battle without many scoring chances either way. Lausanne outshot Tappara 17-15, with Antoine Keller posting the shutout. Through the first 40 minutes, Tappara were unable to convert on five powerplays while Lausanne were 0-for-1. However, in the second minute of the third period, Tappara’s Petteri Puhakka was sent off for high-sticking, giving Lausanne their second opportunity.

Just 30 seconds into the man advantage, Jason Fuchs found Janne Kuokkanen with a long stretch pass to the far blueline that was barely onside. Receiving the puck in full flight, Kuokkanen skated in and beat Metsola between the legs with a low shot.

Tappara still had almost 18 minutes to equalise but had serious trouble penetrating Lausanne’s stifling defence. They didn’t really start to mount any sustained pressure in the attacking zone until the final three minutes.

Metsola went to the bench for a sixth attacker with about 90 seconds remaining. With just over a minute to play, the puck was turned over just inside the Lausanne blueline and Antti Suomela hit the empty net from his own zone to put the game away.