The Champions Hockey League knockout rounds bring both joy and despair. For Sparta Prague, Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Rögle Ängelholm was a bittersweet result – a win nevertheless, but not enough for them to make the Semi-Finals as they finished just one goal shy of taking the game to overtime.
Sparta scored three goals in the final period, two coming from forward Filip Chlapík who ends his debut CHL season on 5G and 1A in nine games, but their comeback came too late.
We didn’t play well enough in the First Game and it came back to bite us tonightFilip Chlapík
“I’m happy with how we played tonight, but we are disappointed overall,” started Chlapík, “3-1 against a team like Rögle is great but we were still one goal shy of taking the game to OT.”
“We knew it was a two-game series, but we didn’t play well enough in the First Game and it came back to bite us tonight.”
24-year-old Chlapík, who has nearly 60 NHL games to his name from his four-year spell with the Ottawa Senators, played for Sparta’s youth teams as a youngster. He returned from overseas on loan last season before making his move permanent for 2021/22.
This is the first time he’s featured in the CHL. What was it like?
“It’s great,” he said, “this is my first time playing in the CHL and it’s been a great opportunity for me. Playing against top teams from across Europe helps you develop as a player.”
Chlapík also reflected upon what positives can be taken from the game, despite the outcome.
“Our team spirit and the fact that the entire team played right down to the final seconds. We knew a three-goal deficit was quite a lot, but we nearly pulled it off.”
Sparta have a packed calendar for the rest of the year Chlapík explains, “we play on the 23rd and on the 25th we leave for Davos to play in the Spengler Cup, so I will be home for Christmas for just one day,” he concluded.