Read below for information on the Round of 32 series between Frolunda Gothenburg and Yunost Minsk. Frolunda won 7-3 to advance to the Round of 16.
Preview
Frolunda Gothenburg are the reigning CHL champions, but they didn't really look like it in the group stage, struggling against both Grizzlys Wolfsburg and Dynamo Pardubice. In particular, their vaunted offence, which outscored all other teams in the first two CHL seasons, struggled, with just 11 goals in just four games. One has to think, however, that it's just a matter of time before they get it all together. One must also remember that they had some close calls in each of the last two CHL campaigns en route to the Final. Their opponents are the champions from Belarus, Yunost Minsk. Yunost survived a very tight group with the Vaxjo Lakers and BK Mlada Boleslav. They took two of six points against Vaxjo, and now they face another Swedish club – the best one, in fact. Yunost have proven tough to beat on home ice. They have the first game in Minsk, and if they can take advantage of that and get a jump on Frolunda, and get the clutch goaltending they got from Dmitri Milchakov in the group stage, an upset is not out of the question at all.
Closer look: Frolunda Gothenburg
(2-0-1-1, 7 points, 11:9, 1st in Group A)
Frolunda Gothenburg were expected to win Group A, and they did, but it was a lot harder than expected. First it was a narrow 2-1 win in Wolfsburg, followed by a 3-2 overtime loss in Pardubice. When they got home to Gothenburg, things seemed to be getting back on track with a 5-2 win over Pardubice, which wrapped up the group. In the group's last game, with a lot at stake for the visitors, Wolfsburg won 3-2 to become the group's other qualifier. With that behind them, the knock-out stage is now ahead. In each of the CHL's first two seasons, Frolunda has reached the Final both times. The first opponent in their way this time is Yunost Minsk of Belarus, and they won't be pushovers.
Casey
Wellman
3+1, +2
Top Forward & CRAMO Top Scorer: By regularly scoring points in KHL, AHL and NHL, Casey Wellman is a well-scouted recruitment by the Gothenburg-based club. With 4 points, Wellman leads Frolunda after the CHL's group stage. Of couse, Wellman joins a crop of Frolunda forwards that know what this tournament is all about, such as Mats Rosseli-Olsen, Artturi Lehkonen and captain Joel Lundqvist, who have been to the CHL Final in back-to-back years, and surely have their sights set on a third trip.
Henrik
Tommernes
0+0, +1
Top Defenceman: Henrik Tommernes was one of the best defencemen in last season's Swedish Hockey League, finishing fifth among d-men in the league scoring league and leading all defencemen in points in the CHL. Tommernes scored 9 goals on the power play in the SHL, which was second in the whole league. He will likely be a threat to upcoming opponents in the CHL playoffs this season, despite the fact that he hasn't scored any points – yet. Jacob Larsson, John Nyberg and new recruit Jonathan Sigalet are other players to watch on the back end.
Johan
Gustafsson
89.29 %
Top Goaltender: Johan Gustafsson came to Frolunda before last season and had a really tough start, quite quickly being recognized as a backup to Lars Johansson, who was having a career year. Gustafsson would get his chance to shine as Johansson was injuried in the playoffs, and Gustafsson took advantage of that chance. He turned out to be the title-winning goaltender he was supposed to be and was a huge reason why Frolunda managed to win the SHL title. Now, he's the expected starting goalie and has stopped 50 of 56 shots in three games in the group stage.
Click here for team statistics.
Closer look: Yunost Minsk
(1-1-0-2, 5 points, 10:13, 2nd in Group L)
By winning their first two CHL games on home ice 4-3 in regulation time over BK Mlada Boleslav and 4-3 in overtime over the Vaxjo Lakers, Yunost Minsk were on the verge of qualifying for the Round of 32. After a 3-2 loss in Mlada Boleslav, they were in the next round due to winning the tie-breaking aggregate score, thanks to a huge last-minute breakaway save by Dmitri Milchakov. They then had a chance to win the group in Vaxjo but lost 4-0 to finish second. Before the start of the CHL playoffs, Yunost signed two defencemen: Slovenian international Sabahudin Kovacevic and former Dinamo Minsk player Evgeni Nogachev. Will that be enough to put them over the top against the defending CHL champions?
Jesse
Niinimaki
2+2, +1
Top Forward & CRAMO Top Scorer: Jesse Niinimaki, the 15th pick in the 2002 NHL Draft, made the perfect debut in the CHL. In the first game against Mlada Boleslav, he had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win. Seven days later, Niinimaki scored the overtime-winning goal against the Vaxjo Lakers, which virtually assured Yunost's spot in the playoffs. After four games in the group stage, Niinimaki has 4 points. The 33-year-old Finn demonstrated high offensive capabilities, and he will be a big danger for any opponent in the CHL.
Klemen
Pretnar
0+1, +2
Top Defenceman: 30-year-old Slovenian international Klemen Pretnar entered this CHL season with experience his other teammates didn't have, as this is his third CHL season. Altogether, Pretnar had 1 point in 12 games for Austrian clubs Villacher SV in 2014-15 and the Vienna Capitals in 2015-16. Now in his first season in Belarus, he has adapted perfectly. Pretnar is now the key element of Yunost’s defence, helping the team in both offensively and defensively. Pretnar scored one point in four games in this CHL season, but he's not finished.
