Lukko Rauma enter their Return Game against Storhamar Hamar with a one-goal advantage in this Round of 16 series. The Norwegians led for the first 40 minutes, but a third-period surge led by Alex Beaucage, who sits second in team scoring with eight points (4G, 4A) in seven games, helped the Finns to their third straight victory. 

It took long enough for the Finns to find their rhythm as they notched their first of three in the final frame just 34 seconds in. Despite trailing for most of the match, Lukko were able to operate on a consistent basis as they dominated in shots on goal (37-12), powerplays (6-2), and PK efficiency, stopping Storhamar on both opportunities. 

Yet, in moments when it matters, it's important for the club's top talent to step in and that's exactly what happened when Beaucage began the Finns' comeback. He netted his fourth of the 2025/26 campaign, finally breaking through a seemingly impenetrable wall in the form of the Norwegians' Markus Røhnebæk Stensrud and assisted on Steven Jandric's equaliser and Eric Gélinas's eventual game-winner.

As they look ahead, Lukko find themselves with a slight lead, but understand that there are no free entries to the Quarter-Finals. If Røhnebæk Stensrud plays to his potential yet again and the Norwegians are able to have that same succesful start that saw them lead for most of the game, the Finns' plans of advancing could be in jeopardy. If, however, they're able to retain that offensive dominance that saw them outshoot their opponents by a 25-shot difference and find the net, their chances of moving on are up.

Storhamar were poised to be stormed by a barrage of shots from a Finnish squad that's currently scoring an average of 3.43 goals per game, and that's exactly what happened. If not for the outstanding play of their 21-year-old netminder, that one-goal differential certainly could be exceeded by two or three tucks. 

All season, the Norwegians have been among the lowest in terms of generating scoring, as evidenced by their 1.57 goals for per game, which has them last in the league. But in a turn of events, it was actually Storhamar leading the charge when Jacob Berglund got his club on the board first following a rare slip-up from Lukko.

For the Norwegians to succeed in advancing to their first-ever Quarter-Finals contest, they'll need that same recipe of excellent netminding and fortitude in the attacking end. Storhamar were able to weather a relentless Finnish squad, and they'll need to do more of the same in their Return Game, while proving that their offensive outburst wasn't a fluke.