Czecho-Slovakian rivalry renewed

Nitra against Vitkovice brings us an old-fashioned Czech-Slovak match-up in the Round of 32. Nitra has faced Czech opponents both this season and last in the CHL group stage, losing twice to Liberec last year and winning twice against Pilsen this year. For Vitkovice, who are located not far from the Slovakian border, they quite often face Slovak opponents in the pre-season, but this will be the first time they face them in a meaningful competition since 1992-93 – the last season of the Czechoslovakian Federal Extraliga. Both of these teams showed us in the group stage that they can play good tight-checking defensive styles and also both struggled to score goals at times, so expect this to be a low-scoring series. Also expect a large number of Nitra fans to make the 270 km trip north and invade Ostravar Arena in the first leg, and the usual rocking atmosphere back in Nitra in the return leg.

HK Nitra lost all four of their CHL games last year. They returned to the competition this season after winning their first-ever league title last season. Nitra started this year's journey in Norway, losing 2-1 in Stavanger. After their fifth-straight CHL loss, they the team led by new head coach Andrej Kmec won their three remaining games. In front of their great fans both at home and away, Nitra defeated HC Pilsen 2-1 in Nitra, then erased an early two-goal deficit and beat them again in Pilsen, 4-2. In their last home game, the Slovakian champions won 2-1 against Stavanger, which secured them first place in Group J. Up next, they face another Czech club in the Round of 32 – Vitkovice Ridera Ostrava.

Vitkovice lost their first three games in the group stage, but they were all very close games. They started with a 4-2 home-ice loss to Karpat Oulu, actually out-shooting the CHL finalists, who needed a late empty-net goal to finally put them away. Then came a couple of tight-checking, defensive games on the road. The first one, in Krefeld, was 0-0 late in the third period before the home team struck twice. The next one in Oulu stayed scoreless into overtime, where Karpat won it. Vitkovice had their first point, but needed a regulation win in their last game against Krefeld to stay alive. Their offence finally woke up as they scored 3 early goals and eventually won 5-3 to overtake Die Pinguine in the standings, then had to sweat it out as they watched Karpat beat Krefeld in the group's last game, which confirmed Vitkovice's spot in the Round of 32.

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