After a 2-1 home-ice win last week, the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers take a one-goal aggregate lead into Ostrava, Czechia for the Return Game of their Champions Hockey League Quarter-Finals match-up against Vítkovice Ridera.

All of the scoring in the First Game was done in the first period, with Marcel Barinka opening the scoring for Vítkovice before Nathan Vouardoux and Victor Rask replied for Rapperswil. There were several great chances in both directions the rest of the way, but goalies Lukáš Klimeš and Robert Mayer were both solid. Overall, it was an even game, which the shot count of 31-31 reflects.

Despite going 0-for-2 with the man advantage in the First Game, Vítkovice still have the best powerplay in the CHL at 29.03%. Rapperswil went 1-for-2 and are now ranked ninth at 21.88%. The Lakers are one of the better offensive teams in the CHL with 30 goals scored but Vítkovice have only surrendered 17 goals in nine games for a CHL-best 1.89 per game.

Despite both going pointless in the First Game, Vítkovice’s Dominik Lakatoš and Rapperswil's Gian-Marco Wetter remain their respective teams’ Top Scorers.

This will be the second time these teams have met in Ostrava this season, with Vítkovice taking a 4-1 win back on Game Day 2.

That game was Vítkovice’s second straight win to open the campaign, but since then they've won only three of seven CHL games. One of those wins came by forfeit, which helped them overcome the Lahti Pelicans in the Round of 16.

After taking two points from their first three Regular Season games, Rapperswil have five regulation wins and one overtime loss in their six CHL games since. Thanks to that rally, they snuck into the Playoffs as the 16th seed and then knocked off top-ranked Adler Mannheim in the Round of 16.

Since last week’s meeting, both teams have played twice domestically. Vítkovice have taken four of six points with a 3-2 overtime loss to Mountfield HK and a 4-1 win over Karlovy Vary. The Lakers beat Lausanne HC 4-2 but lost to Geneve-Servette 3-1.