The Växjö Lakers led 1-0 on home ice halfway through the third period but Red Bull Salzburg came back with three straight goals – two on a late powerplay – to win 3-1.

The Lakers were dominant in the first period but that didn’t translate into a lot of quality scoring chances. Back on their heels, Salzburg took the game’s first penalty just shy of the 14-minute mark. They managed to kill it off, but just 12 seconds after they returned to full strength, the Lakers finally scored.

After an attacking-zone face-off win by Victor Stjernborg, Brian Cooper got possession of the puck and sent a floater toward the net that was nicely tipped in front by Ludvig Nilsson to the far side.

Salzburg got their only powerplay of the game just shy of the game’s midpoint but were unable to cash in.

Four minutes into the third period, Växjö had a golden chance to go up by two. Emil Sylvegård sent a seemingly harmless shot from the boards that rebounded out front to a wide-open 18-year-old Anton Linde, but David Kickert denied him from point blank.

From that point, though, it was all Salzburg. They tied it with 9:54 remaining. The original shot from the point was blocked but Lucas Thaler picked up the loose puck at the top of the circle and sent a seemingly harmless backhander toward the net that beat everybody, including a heavily-screened Benedikt Oschgan, who never saw it.

Momentum then seemed to swing in the visitors’ favour. Just 34 seconds after the goal, Oschgan left the Lakers’ goal, apparently injured, and was replaced by Adam Åhman. Not long after the goaltender change, Salzburg went to the powerplay and pressured a lot more than on their first opportunity, but Åhman was equal to the task.

But the Lakers couldn’t kill off a third penalty – a high-sticking call against Filip Eriksson with 2:22 to play. In fact, Salzburg scored twice. Peter Schneider scored the game-winning goal with 1:51 to play. The Austrian national team veteran took a cross-ice pass from Dennis Eamon Robertson and absolutely wired a one-timer that blew past Åhman, who tried to go post-to-post.

Still on the powerplay, Schneider sent a backhand pass into the slot for Ryan Murphy, who picked his spot up high for the insurance marker.