What a fantastic end to a fantastic contest between two evenly matched clubs. The first 20 minutes of this game produced some of the most exciting hockey seen in the CHL this season, as Lausanne HC and HC Pilsen combined for five goals! The home side had an early powerplay chance with Filip Přikryl in the box for a high sticking penalty. While they were unable to convert on the man advantage, Lausanne kept the pressure on, and eventually broke the deadlock in the return game through Dustin Jeffrey’s pinpoint wristshot. Three minutes later, HC Pilsen were back in the contest. Jaroslav Kracík scored a fantastic solo effort. He fell and regained his balance without losing the puck in the neutral zone, before entering on a 2 on 1 break, selling the defenceman down the river before roofing the puck past Tobias Stephan. Things got even better just two minutes later as Lukáš Kaňák netted the tying goal on aggregate. However, Lausanne rallied back almost immediately. Petteri Lindbohm hammered a slapshot past Dominík Frodl just ten seconds after Kaňák’s goal, before Tyler Moy made it 3-2 on the night, 5-3 on aggregate, after a marvellous effort and pass by Matteo Nodari.

The pace of the game slowed down in the second period. With their two-goal lead secured, Lausanne sought to slow the pace of the game down in the middle frame, consolidating their advantage. They continued to outshoot Pilsen almost 2-to-1, thanks to their suffocating play. This was coupled with some quick counterattacking hockey, which forced Dominík Frodl in the Pilsen net to make a stunning sprawling glove save to deny Benjamin Antonietti. Lausanne had two powerplay chances but failed to convert on either of them in the second period, which closed with Lausanne still holding a two-goal aggregate lead.

However, you can never count HC Pilsen out. Last season’s beaten Semi-Finalists are desperate to go even better this season. Pilsen brought themselves back into the contest after a wonderful solo effort six and a half minutes in by Matyáš Kantner. The Pilsen forward beat Stephan to a loose puck in front of the crease, and somehow managed to chip the puck into the roof of the net, to cut their deficit to just one goal on aggregate. Almost immediately after Kantner’s goal, The Czech club went on the powerplay and failed to convert, but with six and a half minutes to play, Pilsen drew level! Luboš Rob pounced on a rebound kicked out by Stephan and fired the puck into the top shelf to mark a miraculous comeback. In the final minutes, it was the home side who had the best of the chances. Lausanne had four bites of the cherry to find the tie-winner in the final minute, but somehow the puck stayed out of Frodl’s net, which sent this game into overtime.

We would only need 58 seconds of overtime to seal this tie. Great speed down the right wing by Joel Genazzi created a 2-on-1 break. Genazzi dished the puck to Cory Emmerton, who beat Frodl on his backhand to seal Pilsen’s fate. Lausanne HC qualify for the Quarter-Finals in their debut CHL season!