Patrick Carlsson’s second goal and third point of the game midway through the third period gave Frölunda Gothenburg their first lead of the game, which proved to be the difference in a 3-2 road win over IFK Helsinki to take over first place in a tight Group B.

The two teams traded shorthanded chances early on. Just past the seven-minute mark, IFK Helsinki’s Jere Innala pounced on an errant pass in the neutral zone and skated in alone on Matthew Tomkins. Innala tried to make a move but the puck slid off his stick without getting a shot away. On a Helsinki powerplay four minutes later, Mats Rosseli-Olsen received a pass in front of the net but Michael Garteig stopped his one-timer.

The home team scored the lone goal of the opening frame when Johan Motin picked up the puck along the boards and centred to Micke Åsten, who went high stick side on Tomkins.

Down by a goal, Frölunda had the edge in play throughout most of the second period and had some decent chances but it wasn‘t until the final minute when they finally broke through. Filip Johansson took a pass from Carlsson behind the net and cashed in on the wraparound attempt, finding some room between Garteig and the near post.

After two rather conservatively played periods, the pace picked up in the third as the teams traded goals. IFK Helsinki took their second lead of the game on the powerplay as Jordan Schmaltz one-timed a pass from Innala. But the game was tied less than two minutes later on a great individual effort from Carlsson, splitting the Helsinki defence and beating Garteig high glove side.

IFK Helsinki had a chance to regain the lead on another powerplay but instead it was Frölunda striking shorthanded, and it was Carlsson again. On a 2-on-1 rush, he picked the top corner over Garteig’s left shoulder for the go-ahead goal with 10:41 to go.

The home side still had half a period to equalize and they did get some zone time, especially in the dying minutes with the extra attacker on the ice, but Frölunda held on to secure the victory.