The Champions Hockey League Round of 16 match-up between the Växjö Lakers and Fribourg-Gottéron is still very much up for grabs after the Lakers won a defensive battle 1-0 on home ice. Adam Åhman only had to make 14 saves for the shutout but he was challenged at times and got helped by a couple of goalposts.

The two teams were just feeling each other out in a rather defensive first period that saw just four shots aside, despite two Växjö powerplays.

The tempo picked up significantly in the middle frame, however, with the Lakers storming the Fribourg net for the first four minutes. Reto Berra was called to make some fine saves.

But then two Växjö penalties caused the momentum to swing the other way. Fribourg had some great chances on the powerplay, but Jacob de la Rose hit the post and later his Swedish linemate Lucas Wallmark hit the crossbar on a long shot.

Back at full strength, the Lakers pushed back again. Berra made perhaps his best save of the game off Emil Sylvegård, but he was finally beaten at 33:52. Dylan McLaughlin circled the net and then dropped a pass to the high slot, where Elias Rosén ripped a shot past Berra. Fribourg challenged the play for goaltender interference but the goal stood.

Fribourg tried to generate some offence in the third period but Växjö tightened up defensively again. With under seven minutes to play, the Lakers were able to kill more than a minute on a delayed Fribourg penalty before finally going offside. The Lakers were unable to score on the powerplay, but took two more minutes off the clock.

Back at full strength, Fribourg didn’t go all out trying to equalize the score, knowing they still have another game at home. Fribourg had the CHL’s fourth-ranked offence during the Regular Season and they will definitely try to bring more offence in the Return Game.