Frölunda outshot Klagenfurt 43-21, but it took Pontus Widerström’s goal with 10:15 left in regulation time to ensure that they managed to take three points from goaltender Tomáš Duba and a pesky Carinthia club.
Buoyed by a couple of early power plays, Klagenfurt had a good start to the game and played Frölunda evenly, with the shots 7-7 at the 15-minute mark and no scoring. However, the Indians began to press late in the period as KAC took three straight penalties. Duba made a couple of fine stops, but he had no chance on Joel Lundqvist’s one-timer from the slot on a 5-on-3 with just 1:09 to go in the period.
Frölunda almost went up two goals early in the second period, but the referee ruled that Simon Hjalmarsson kicked it in, and video replay confirmed that decision. KAC played rope-a-dope the rest of the period and still remained within a goal at the end of the period, which gave them to tie it just 12 seconds into the third when Matthew Neale won a battle for the puck along the boards, cut into the middle and beat Johan Mattsson with a low wrister.
Frölunda became increasingly frustrated by KAC’s defensive strategy, and it started looking like the Austrian visitors might steal at least a point from the CHL champs. However, midway through the third period, the Indians produced a goal through hard work, with Pathrik Westerholm taking it to the net and Widerström putting in the rebound as he was knocked to the ice.
“We entered the offensive zone and Pathrik Westerholm hit the post with his shot and I was able to find the rebound and smack it in.”Pontus Widerström, Frölunda forward, describing his game-winning goal
“We battled right till the end. We were getting tired in the second period but got a key goal at the start of the third, which rejuvenated us. We got a great goaltending performance, we tried to block the shooting lanes and limit their chances, but they’re such a great team and they found a way. We did our best but came up a little short today.”Steven Walker, head coach, KAC Klagenfurt