One of the closest games we witnessed in last week's Round of 16 First Games was between SC Bern and Brynäs IF, with both sides leaving their all out on the ice in Sweden. The all-deciding Return Game of the series sees the Swiss hosts with a small one-goal lead, but just one goal and it's all to play for - let's find out more!
- Bern head into the game with a one-goal aggregate lead
- Neck-and-neck game in Sweden
- While Bern hold a slight advantage on offence, Brynäs have shown an aptitude for keeping the puck out of their net
In a battle between two teams which excel in defence, it was SC Bern holding on to a one-goal aggregate lead against their Swedish opponents Brynäs IF in a 2-1 contest that pitted two of the league's best backends against each other.
Marco Lehmann netted Bern's second on the night to give the Swiss the slight edge heading into the Round of 16 Return Game in Switzerland, but Brynäs are still very much alive.
The Swedes' stats on home ice are much kinder than their results away from the Monitor ERP Arena, but going up against a team in SC Bern was bound to be problematic and their Swiss challengers showed them why.
Despite letting in a powerplay tally, Bern were able to frustrate Brynäs' offence later in the game - an all-too familiar storyline for the Swedes as they've only scored an average of 2.14 goals for per game.
Their lack of scoring notwithstanding, Brynäs have managed to keep contests close thanks to their blue line doing the heavy lifting, as they are tied for second fewest markers allowed with 1.71 goals against per game. In their last three games, the Swedes have only allowed two goals in each tilt - but they've also managed to lose each.
Being more active in the offensive zone will certainly help a team that's showcased some of the best shutdown defence this season. While no one player has really shone for Brynäs in that department, it will take a collective effort on offence to support a defence that has been stellar so far.
Bern, meanwhile, have won three of their last four games and have managed to score three or more goals three times out of the four. While their loss to Frölunda Gothenburg exposed some of their faults, the club's capacity for re-grouping and finding ways to win has been a cornerstone of Bern's abilities throughout this Champions Hockey League campaign.
The Swiss have been serviceable on both sides of the puck and sport one of the better netminders in the league in Adam Reideborn, who has a 1.95 GAA to go along with a 91.47 SV% and two shutouts. This mix of defensive awareness and offensive upside has allowed Bern to win hockey games and will be the deciding factor as they get ready to host Brynäs.
Bern are a goal up, but given how close things were last week against Brynäs, this match-up and ultimately the decision on which of the two teams will move onto the Quarter-Finals is all but decided - watch this space!