Oceláři Třinec had a successful run to the Semi-Finals of the Champions Hockey League, thanks in large part to the goaltending of Šimon Hrubec. Hrubec's statistics in the European championship were eye-popping: he won 9 of his 10 games, with a goals-against average of 1.07 and a save percentage of 96.19. It was little wonder he won the NordicBet MVP Trophy.
Now, Hrubec and his teammates are in another intense battle for the championship of the Czech Extraliga. Třinec is in the finals against another team that had a good CHL run, Kometa Brno. Coincidentally, both teams were eliminated in successive CHL stages by eventual champions JYP Jyväskylä. After the teams split the first two games over the weekend in Třinec, the scene shifts to Brno for games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Thursday.
"It’s been an offensive style of hockey with lots of goals," Hrubec said of the first two games "If I look for the main factors, I would say power plays and who scores the first goal. We played very well in the first game, but the second was a bit unlucky for us."
When the series resumes in Brno, Hrubec says: "It would be great to have as good a start as we had in the first game. We're very strong with the puck and can create a huge amount of scoring chances. Hopefully, we get some luck as well."
As many CHL players commented this past season, DRFG Arena is not a welcoming place for visiting teams, and in the finals that will be magnified. However, Hrubec doesn't seem concerned. "The playoffs are always about great atmosphere. It’ll be electrifying in Brno, the fans will cheer on Kometa, but it will definitely be helpful for us as well."
“It was a great psychological boost, a great experience and I’m very pleased that we've qualified for the next CHL season as well.”Oceláři Třinec goaltender Šimon Hrubec on reaching the CHL Semi-Finals
Třinec has had a solid season all around, but the playoffs are when championship teams are made. They haven't buckled under the pressure, but have come through, beating Dynamo Pardubice and Mountfield HK in six games in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Hrubec believes that the intensity of the CHL games, and victories over three Swedish teams along the way, have given the team the necessary confidence.
"The young players realized that they can play against top players," he said. "The competition in the Champions Hockey League is very tough – there are former NHL and KHL players and national team members from Sweden, Finland and Germany. As a team, we realized that we can play with these strong teams and even beat them. It was a great psychological boost, a great experience and I’m very pleased that we've qualified for the next CHL season as well."
If playing in the Extraliga finals isn't enough to keep his mind busy, Hrubec also has a newborn son, and he explained how his wife has helped him be able to properly prepare himself mentally for games.
"After the first two semi-final games, my wife took the baby to České Budějovice," he explained. "Before that, I tried to help her as much as I could, but she handled it very well. When Adam was crying at night, she took him to the other room so that I could have a good sleep. Now they are in Budějovice, where they are perfectly comfortable. I’m glad they are happy."