Ahead of the two-game quarter-final series between two Swedish clubs, Linköping HC winger Broc Little spoke about his own team and the league-leading Skellefteå club that awaits them on Tuesday.

by Stefan Lövstrand

LINKÖPING – American winger Broc Little is in his first year playing for Linköping HC, but is already fitting in nicely on the team. The Phoenix native and graduate of Yale University, who is now in his fourth season playing in Europe, has settled in nicely on the club's top line, usually playing with fellow North American imports Jeff Taffe and Jacob Micflikier. 

Through seven CHL games, Little has three goals and five assists for eight points, while after 26 SHL games he is tied for sixth in league scoring with 23 points (11+12). Entering Tuesday's quarter-final game at home against  Skellefteå AIK, Linköping have won three games in a row and sit fourth in the league standings, 10 points back of leaders Skellefteå. With that being the case, Little spoke about how the team has found recent success and about the challenge ahead of them.

With the upcoming games against Skellefteå, your team has been playing well lately. What will you bring to the game next week? 
I think we have a lot of confidence playing at home. Like you said, we have been playing good and think that the game on Tuesday will be a big test. Skellefteå is a very good team and one of the top teams in the league. I think we can use the style of play we've been using, especially at home, and I think that it will be something for us to focus on. 

It seems that you are playing with a lot of confidence out there. Do you just let yourself go and let things happen out there? 
Yeah, that's one of the things that our minds have been set on. Not being afraid of making any mistakes and playing with caution out there. We have a lot of skilled guys and we can make those plays, at least at home that has been working while we have had some difficulty doing the same thing away. But we do have that same defensive structure that if someone makes a mistake, someone else will cover for him. 

Playing Skellefteå in CHL, do feel any difference facing them there instead of in the domestic league? 
Umm, I think that it's like any other game for us. But obviously it's a different style of game with the way it's set up and you have two games. It's kind of a 120-minute game, but other than that it's like facing them as usual. I think it's gonna be fun! 

Do you feel that starting at home will be an advantage for you or would you rather have it the other way around? 
I think you could say it's on the plus side. I think we have played well at home and if we can win at home, building a lead will be a positive thing going in to the second game. Making them play a little bit more desperate to start and I understand why they have this system, but I think it could have a positive effect starting at home. 

What are your feelings so far about the CHL? 
It's been a lot of fun so far. It was nice that we had a lot of different countries to go to – the Czech Republic, Finland and even Italy during the group stage and it has been fun with that part. I think it's been a good start for the league and hopefully it can move on and perhaps get more leagues involved. That would be great!