We've taken a look at the Top 5 reasons that give Frölunda Indians the edge in this season's Champions Hockey League Final, but now it's time to turn our attention to this year's host team and CHL Final debutants: Mountfield HK.

Pavel Ryšavý of Czech national newspaper Deník Sport gives us his take on why we'll be crowning the first-ever team from outside of the Nordics as our 2020 champions!

1. Marek Mazanec

Consistently on top of his game for months now and his performances haven’t dropped off a single bit, Mazanec uses a reverse catching style with his glove on his right, doesn’t panic and has been tremendously important for Mountfield all season. There’s no doubt that he’s No. 1, no questions asked. When opponents result to dumping the puck, he collects them behind his net and plays out from the back using his impressive stickhandling skills that he learned during his six years overseas. Mazanec himself says that he doesn’t like penalty shots and that he’s not good at them – but, on the contrary, he’s known for his quick reactions and saves that catch opponents off guard.

2. A team made for playoff matches

Mountfield haven’t been as strong in the Czech Extraliga as they have in the CHL this season. There are two main reasons why: First, when Vladimír Růžička was appointed co-Head Coach at the start of the season, Mountfield needed a few months to adapt to his playing style. But the main reason why the CHL has just seemed to work for them this year is the way they approach each game. Second, when the team lines up for an ordinary home match against a regular Extraliga team, they have trouble getting into the flow of the game and winning - but when faced with an all-or-nothing CHL Playoffs match, they seem to transform and understand the responsibility they have.

They haven’t had a single bad game in the Playoffs this season and have been sturdy at the back, blocking all attempts at an opponent breakthrough from the neutral zone. Mountfield are going to be a feared side in the Extraliga Playoffs this year with their direct style of play. This team plays best when it’s do or die.

2. The Coaches

Vladimír Růžička is a coach with an impressive CV. As Head Coach of the Czech National Team he won two Ice Hockey World Championships (2005 and 2010) and was equally successful during his time with Slavia Praha, winning the Czech Extraliga twice. He’s one of the best Czech coaches around and is renowned for his quick tactical changes during matches and responsible defending. He reads the game well and likes swapping players around in reaction to the flow of the game.

Equally as important is his college Tomáš Martinec who has been with the team longer and has a very forward-passing style of play focused on attacking. When Růžička joined Martinec one week into the 2019/20 season as co-Head coach things weren’t looking good for Mountfield. The conflicting coaches’ ideas weren’t working on the ice and they struggled with their roles as equals; but come the new year, they’ve started working together like a well-oiled machine and the results are starting to show.

This rejuvenated and re-energized Mountfield team combines both coaches’ philosophies – Martinec’s aggressiveness and Růžička’s responsible defending.

4. The atmosphere

The ČPP Arena isn’t the biggest arena around with a capacity of just under 7,000 fans but when the stands are full the atmosphere is intense. One of the main reasons why it gets so heated in the arena is the fact that nearly half the stadium’s capacity is taken up by sectors for standing only. The sheer sight of the thousands of fans huddled together supporting their team in the stands is breath-taking. When Mountfield faced Djurgården in the CHL Semi-Finals, the standing crowds got the whole arena to get up and join in for a Mexican wave that circled the arena multiple times. They chanted, sang and pushed their team on to win the match.

They are Mountfield’s secret weapon for the Final.

5. The first line

One was captain of the National Team, another is a current National Team player for Slovakia and the third is a one to watch for the Czech National Team. Of course, we mean Radek Smoleňák, Lukáš Cingel and Matěj Chalupa – Mountfield’s elite attacking trio. They create chances every game and have the skill to take them and score. Smoleňák is a big personality in the locker room and a true leader, the players respect him and stand by him. Despite being well-travelled, it looks like he’s finally found a place to settle down. He leads by example and is strong in front of the net, often doing the “dirty work”.

Cingel is a two way forward who plays between the lines and strikes when the time is right. He supports his teammates and has also started scoring himself lately. And Chalupa? The youngest of the three at just 21 years of age has finally started proving himself and fully displaying his talent. He’s strong on offense and is a great shooter.