A clash between veteran Swedish side Färjestad Karlstad and six-time Czech Extraliga champions Oceláři Třinec is always going to be special but given the context of Färjestad looking to stay at the very top of the 2024/25 Regular Season Standings and Třinec hunting to knock them down, this match-up is the one to watch on Game Day 5!
- Färjestad only unbeaten team in CHL this season
- Třinec hunting for much-needed points
- First-time match-up between these two veteran CHL sides
Unbeaten Färjestad Karlstad enter the penultimate round of the Regular Season as the team to beat, sitting at the very top of the Regular Season Standings with a perfect 12 points out of four games and the only team to have a sure place in the upcoming Playoffs.
They've scored an average of five goals a game (ranking them #1 in the CHL so far this season) whilst letting only seven hit the back of their net. The Swedes have been clinical, decisive and tough to play against and that's not been the case just on the pan-European stage but domestically also, as Färjestad enter Game Day 5 in top position of the SHL standings as well.
Key players to watch include forward Oskar Steen who has contributed two goals and six assists to make him the second most productive player heading into Game Day 5, and goaltender Maxime Lagacé who boasts a very impressive 96.15% save percentage.
“Färjestad are one of the top teams in the SHL. Many national players play for them, including Czech World Champion David Tomášek. It will be a game for crucial points!”Zdeněk Moták, Oceláři Třinec Head Coach
Czech challengers Oceláři Třinec enter the first of their two October games in seventh place on the Regular Season Standings having won three and lost just one across Game Days 1-4. With 15 goals for, they're one of the higher-scoring teams of the CHL so far and Top Scorer Libor Hudáček (2G, 5A) is hot on Steen's heels in the Top Scorer Leaderboard!
Třinec's special unit play has been solid and performed equally as good as Färjestad's across the first four rounds. Their PP has been operating at a solid 25% while their PK has allowed just two goals to hit the back of the net in four games.
Their only loss this season came against the Växjö Lakers on Game Day 3 in a game where the Czechs struggled to keep up with Växjö's intensity late in the second period and early in the third. In their most recent battle, they dismantled Fribourg-Gottéron with an impressive 7-3 victory.
“A roster full of seasoned players who have been around the game for a long time. It’s going to be a tough game - Czech teams are always a hard nut to crack.”Tomas Mitell, Färjestad Karlstad Head Coach
Do you think Oceláři Třinec will become the first team to topple Färjestad Karlstad this season or will the Swedes make it 5/5 and keep their unbeaten run going?
Don't miss the game on Tuesday, 8 October at 19:00 CEST!