Rauman Lukko advanced to the second round of the CHL playoffs, i.e. to the top eight.
Lukko celebrates the 1-1 equalizing goal scored by Aarne Intonen (14). Elmeri Elo / AOP
The people of Rauma cleared the way of Storhamar, who won the last two Norwegian championships.
In the CHL playoffs, the winner is decided based on the total goals of the two-part match pair.
Lukko entered their home game with a 3–2 lead, and when the numbers in Rauma were 5–2, Lukko secured their place in the quarterfinals of the CHL as the first Finnish team with a total of 8–4.
Lukko controlled the game to their heart’s content even in half-lights, but Storhamar persevered after two sets in even numbers 2-2.
The decisive 3–2 and 4–2 goals Lukko struck at the beginning of the final set, when Steven Jandric and Patrick Westerholm were swinging the Norwegian net every minute.
The hosts’ other scorers were Aarne Intonen, Ponthus Westerholm and Mikael Ruohomaa.
In the quarter-finals starting at the beginning of December, Lukko will face the Swiss EV Zug, who crushed Sparta Praha with 8–3 on aggregate. In the preliminary series at the beginning of October, Lukko beat Zug Rauma 1–0.
On Wednesday, KalPa hosts Zurich Lions and Ilves Pinguins Bremerhaven in the second part of the CHL quarterfinals. In Kuopio, we start the match with a draw and in Tampere, Ilves’ goal is in the lead.