Lukko Rauma played a near-perfect game against Swiss challengers EV Zug as they ended their First Game of the Champions Hockey League Quarter-Finals with a two-goal aggregate advantage in a 3-1 contest. The Finns were the better team in their Round of 16 series versus Storhamar Hamar,  and they showcased that consistency against an inconsistent Zug squad.

To say that Zug aren't on a level playing field to Lukko is just not true. The Swiss, despite their 4-5 record, were the engineers of a 6-0 win over Sparta Prague in their previous series that saw them put eight total tucks past a Czech side that was one of the tougher teams in the competition.

But while manufacturing offence against Sparta was no challenge for the Swiss, solving Lukko's netminding has been quite the hurdle as the Swiss have now suffered two losses at the hands of Lukko, including the Finns' 1-0 win on Game Day 5.

So for the Swiss, it's all about how to keep the puck on their stick and convert on the scoring chances that they get. No easy ask, but when your competition is some of the best in European ice hockey, no ask should be.

The Finns played a strong game against Zug in the First Game of their QFs series, scoring once in the first, another in the second and a final tally in the third, all the while Antti Raanta stopped 28 of 29 shots to help his team maintain their aggregate advantage. Yet, getting the lead is one thing, keeping it against a team that scores an average of three goals per game will be the main obstacle that Lukko face on the road in Switzerland.

Fortunately, their adaptability in all scenarios gives them room to get creative. Alex Beaucage (4G, 5A) has been instrumental to the Finns' destiny, just as much as their netminding. And you can't overlook the impact Eric Gélinas (4G, 6A) has had on the blueline.