Thanks to the superb goaltending of Timo Pielmeier and some timely scoring, ERC Ingolstadt came from behind to win the first game against Frolunda Gothenburg by 2 goals.

ERC Ingolstadt 4–2 Frolunda Gothenburg

GAME HIGHLIGHTS | SERIES PAGE

Frolunda are known as one of the top teams in Europe, so when they started this game by absolutely dominating Ingolstadt and scoring twice in the first 5:35, it looked like they might run away with it. However, Tim Pielmeier took over after that and stopped the last 43 shots he faced – 49 in all. Then it was time for Ingolstadt's offence to show itself, and they scored four straight goals to take a 4–2 lead into the second half of this home-and-away series.

"We had tons of chances, but couldn't score. This is a hard loss and we are very disappointed," said Frolunda captain Joel Lundqvist.

But they did score early and it was Lundqvist who opened the scoring after just 1:15 of play, backhanding a loose puck into the net on Frolunda's feared power play. Then just over four minutes later it was 2–0 when Artturi Lehkonen beat Pielmeier with a wrister over the glove. It looked like the rout was on. But exactly six minutes after Lehkonen's goal, Alexander Barta got Ingolstadt on the board with a slapper that somehow found its way through Johan Gustafsson, and despite being out-shot 17–4 in the first period, the home side were in the game.

"Frolunda's first goal was a little shock for us and they had the momentum," said Ingolstadt head coach Manny Viveiros. "In the first intermission we said that we wanted to play more aggressive and we also made a little change in the lines."

The little change apparently worked, as Ingolstadt went to the attack in the second, firing 17 shots at Gustafsson and scoring twice to take the lead. First Daniel Irman tied the score on the power play in the 32nd minute, putting in the rebound on Barta's initial shot. Late in the period Irman made it a 2-point night as well, as his shot was deflected on the way by Jared Ross.

Frolunda tried to push back in the third, but still couldn't beat Pielmeier, who knew he needed to improve on his early-season form to give his team a chance, and he sure delivered tonight. In the 49th minute, the CHL's top two scorers teamed up, with John Laliberte feeding a pass to Petr Taticek, who scored to make it a two-goal difference.

That's the way it stands after 60 minutes, as the teams will acquaintances seven days from now in Gothenburg, with last year's finalists surprisingly on the ropes. 

"Ingolstadt deserves this win, because in the second and third periods they worked harder than we did," admitted Frolunda coach Roger Ronnberg. "In the second period they found the energy to win the game."

Ingolstadt's 2-point man Barta summed up, "We had too much respect in the first period, but in the second and third period we showed that we can play good hockey, too. So this is a good position for the game in Gothenburg."