HV71 Jonkoping beat Lukko Rauma 2-0 in a tight-checking first leg on home ice. Read more in Gamecentre. 

HV71 Jonkoping got the early lead they needed against Lukko Rauma, then protected it the rest of the way so that they'll take a two-goal lead into next week's game in Rauma.

It was a fast start for HV71 on home ice, with Dylan Reese's long shot through traffic finding the back of the net after just 38 seconds of play. Less than five minutes later it was 2-0, as Martin Thornberg picked up his CHL-leading 9th point, feeding Ted Brithen in front, who beat Kaapo Kahkonen on the backhand. 

“I think I played a pretty good game, like the rest of the team. I tried to play simple and I got a chance and managed to get a goal,” Brithen said. “We came out great and scored two quick goals and played the game pretty well I think.”

That was all the scoring in the game, and Lukko didn't get many chances to respond, particularly in the first 40 minutes, when they had only seven shots in total on Linus Soderstrom. Thornberg almost made it 3-0 in the second period when his shot hit the goalpost. 

“It was a tight game but we weren't ready in the beginning,” said Lukko defenceman Janne Niskala. “HV71 came out strong and we were two goals down after five minutes, so that was a real bad start for us. But I think we managed to play better after that. But when you don't score you can't win the game.”

Lukko came with a bit more of a push in the third period, with 10 shots, but still weren't able to beat Soderstrom, who picked up the shutout. Kahkonen stopped 19 for Lukko. Tempers flared late in the game, setting the stage for the second game next week.

The two teams now move to Finland, where Lukko will need to get their offence going if they hope to go as far as they did in the last two CHL seasons. 

“We have to get our offensive game going,” Niskala added. “We spent too much time in our own zone. Just get the momentum going and don't take too many penalties. We are confident that we can turn this series around – it's only two goals. Last year we were down too and managed to turn it around.”