After failing to record a point in their first two games on the road, Tappara Tampere were in a situation where they absolutely needed to win on home ice against previouslyh unbeaten KAC Klagenfurt. And while the visitors from Austria gave them a good run for their money for two-plus periods, eventually Tappara pulled away and won 8-3. Charles Bertrand scored three goals for Tappara, including the game-winner, and Tyler Morley had four assists.

On an early power play, Olavi Vaukonen took a pass from Morley and beat David Madlener through the legs. Klagenfurt then battled back with a pair of goals to take the lead. They evened it on the power play at the seven-minute mark when Nicholas Peterson’s shot hit Matthew Neal in the skate and went in, holding up after a video review. Then 2:11 later, Manuel Ganahl at the side of the net banked in a shot off the skate of Garteig and in. In the dying seconds of the opening period, Bertrand’s first of the evening ensured Tappara would go into the break tied – dodging a check and sliding the puck along the ice through a crowd and past a screened Madlener.

The score remained 2-2 for most of the second period, but then Tappara struck twice 30 seconds apart in the 37th minute to give them a two-goal lead for the first time. First, Sami Moilanen passed out front to Jere Karjalainen, who one-timed it in. Then Bertrand’s second of the game was almost like a pitching wedge shot that beat Madlener to the near side – certainly a goal that the Klagenfurt keeper would like to have back.

In the first minute of the third period, Klagenfurt attacked hard and got themselves back within a goal, with Andrew Kozak banging it in from close range. However, that’s as close as they would get. Tappara struck for four goals in a span of 6:26, opening up a five-goal lead by the midpoint of the third period. The last goal was Bertrand’s hat-trick goal, chipping it in from the slot with 9:28 to play.