The Stavanger Oilers host CHL newcomers HC Pilsen.

The Stavanger Oilers started Group J on the right foot by beating HK Nitra 2-1 on Thursday. Two days later they host the group's other team – HC Pilsen. If they can win, their ticket to the next round will be almost guaranteed.

About Thursday's win over Nitra, coach Pal Gulbradsen said, "The guys worked hard, we had good intensity in the game and were solid in forechecking. However, we need to be a little closer to each other and communicate better. Against Nitra we spent too much time in our own zone." About today's opponent he said, "They are probably a little better than the team we faced on Thursday. We need to climb a few notches to win. It will be interesting."

On the opposite bench Ladislav Cihak, assistant coach of HC Pilsen, added: "It's not a friendly game at all! Pre-season ended with the game against Klatovy for us and this will be the first tough match of the season. We are not going to Stavanger just to have fun, we want to get three points!"

This will be Pilsen's first-ever game in the CHL, having qualified by reaching the Czech semi-finals last spring. They have the advantage of seeing Stavanger in the CHL the past two years, and Thursday's game against Nitra. They've never played a Norwegian team before, but they know it won't be easy.

"The Norwegian league is a question mark for us, but last year Stavanger played against Trinec and were able to beat them, so they won't be bad. The coaches say we'll watch some video when we arrive," said first-line centre Jaroslav Krejcik.