Frölunda Gothenburg return to the Scandinavium carrying a 3-1 aggregate advantage over ERC Ingolstadt after a composed, momentum-shifting First Game in Germany. Ingolstadt opened the scoring and held the lead through the entire first period, but once Frölunda found their rhythm, the Swedes imposed their structure, controlled long stretches of play, and struck three unanswered times to place themselves in a strong position ahead of Tuesday’s decisive Return Game.

Ingolstadt had the brighter start in the First Game, with Leon Hüttl converting from the slot following a well-worked cycle created by Kenny Agostino and Abbott Girduckis. It was a well-earned breakthrough, but Frölunda refused to panic. Jere Innala tied the game early in the second period by redirecting a shot-pass from Linus Weissbach on the powerplay, and ten minutes later Henrik Tömmernes pushed the Swedes in front, battling at the crease to bury a rebound past Nico Pertuch at 32:33.

From there, Frölunda dictated the pace. Their forecheck tightened, their exits sharpened, and they controlled zone time throughout the third period. Linus Högberg’s tally midway through the frame, off a favourable bounce and a quick release, sealed the night’s scoring and sent the Swedes home with a valuable two-goal cushion.

Returning to Gothenburg, Frölunda will again rely on their depth and balance. Max Friberg, Jere Innala, and Jacob Peterson continue to lead the attack, while Henrik Tömmernes and Linus Högberg have been standout two-way figures on the blue line. Tobias Normann has been excellent in net with a 92.31% save percentage throughout the competition, and he remains the likely starter as Frölunda look to close out the tie on home ice.

Ingolstadt, however, cannot be dismissed. Riley Barber, Riley Sheen, and Austen Keating have been their most reliable offensive contributors, while Alex Breton and Peter Abbandonato remain key creative pieces. Goaltending is the major question entering the Return Game. Brett Brochu, Nico Pertuch, and Devin Williams have all shown flashes, but consistency will be essential if Ingolstadt hope to overturn the deficit and make the Top 4.

With only two goals separating the sides, the series is far from settled. Frölunda have the advantage, structure, and home-ice backing. Ingolstadt have the firepower to make this a tense night in Gothenburg. The Semi-Final spot is still very much in play.