Entering Saturday's fixture, Slovan Bratislava were in a must-win situation, but a hungrier Red Bull Munich struck first and never looked back as they thrashed the Slovaks to the tune of a 5-1 final.

Three powerplays - including two for the hosts - produced plenty of surges for both squads during the first period, but neither side was able to execute as Slovan and Munich headed to their respective locker rooms knotted at 0 after 20.

After a scoreless first, pucks began to find twine in the second and it was Munich who drew first blood.

Ben Street did anything and everything he could to put one home as he spun around, corraled a rebound and wristed it past Jared Coreau to open the scoring at 23:43.

Minutes later it became a brand-new affair when Marcel Haščák roofed it over Munich's Danny aus den Birken to get his side on the board and level the contest 1-1.

Munich would reclaim the lead seven minutes into the middle frame when Frederik Tiffels redirected a shot from Street to register his second goal and fifth point of the season. The hosts extended their lead 35:38 into the contest courtesy of Chris DeSousa who skated down the left side and tucked it far corner to make it 3-1.

The rout was on for the Germans in the second as they secured their fourth of the night three minutes later off the stick of Patrick Hager who was parked on the doorstep to bang home the rebound.

After letting in four goals on 16 shots in the second, Coreau was replaced by Samuel Hlavaj to start the third. His entrance wouldn't be elegant, however, as Munich were already up 5-1 just 15 seconds in. 

Andreas Eder cruised into the slot and lifted it past the Slovakian netminder to notch his first goal of the season and widen the gap for the visitors.

The Slovaks continued playing catch-up for the rest of the period but never threatened the Munich net as the German side put on a defensive clinic. The hosts would go on to claim this one and leapfrog Tappara Tampere temporarily in the standings.