- Jarkko Immonen's tally secures Jukurit's place in Quarter-Finals
- Both netminders kept their clubs competitive
- Fribourg outshot Jukurit 34-22
Jarkko Immonen scored two minutes into overtime to propel Jukurit Mikkeli past Fribourg-Gottéron by a 3-2 final on aggregate. Frans Tuohimaa made 33 saves in his seventh appearance this season to help guide his team to victory.
Fribourg fired 11 shots on net and Jukurit managed eight but both netminders were absolute during the first 20 minutes as the sides entered their respective locker rooms tied 0-0 and 1-1 on aggregate.
The second period began with Jukurit, again, opening the scoring as their leading scorer Patrik Puistola broke the deadlock when he found himself behind the Fribourg defence with time to pick his spot as he slid it five-hole past Connor Hughes to give his side the crucial first goal.
Two minutes later, the Swiss had an excellent opportunity to answer with a 5-on-3 powerplay but the Finns' fourth-ranked penalty kill thwarted the home team's efforts to keep their lead intact.
But Fribourg would eventually respond when Nathan Marchon found his angle and lifted it past Tuohimaa to even the aggregate score at 2-2. Marchon was sprung on a breakaway where he deked around the Finnish goalie before going high blocker side to give his side some life.
As time wound down in the third, the Swiss thought they had taken a late lead but after video review there was no conclusive proof the puck crossed the line and so play continued with both sides still knotted at 2-2 on aggregate.
Still tied after 60, the teams forced an OT that would last only two minutes as Immonen deposited a tape-to-tape feed from Puistola on a 2-on-1 to claim the game. With the win, Jukurit will keep their inaugural CHL season afloat with a trip to the Quarter-Finals.