Game Day 3 of the 2026/27 season of the Champions Hockey League will see this epic clash between two so-far-perfect teams, as Fribourg-Gottéron face HC Pilsen in front of their home fans in the BCF Arena. What to expect?
- Fribourg Head Coach Roger Rönnberg will feature in his 100th CHL game
- Both teams on 2-0 records
- First-ever meeting between these two clubs
Czech side HC Pilsen made their big return to the European stage for the first time since 2019/20 and it couldn't have gone better. Two games in, the Czechs have picked up a full six points, shutout a past CHL Champion in Rögle Ängelholm and have only let a single goal hit the back of their net across 120 minutes of game time.
Ondřej Rohlík leads the team in scoring with a solid 1G, 2A, but don't be fooled by these normal numbers, as scoring has been split across many of the Pilsen lines - including the D-men, most of which have points on the board already!
Pilsen's PK has been perfect so far, while their PP has been hovering around the 20% efficiency mark. But when looking at the Czechs' play it's the goaltending that stands out most, with both Nick Malík and Jan Růžička playing a full game each.
But that was at home, how will the Czechs cope on the road in Switzerland?
“They are known for their great youth academy. They have a strong team with some players returning from the NHL, like captain Jakub Jerabek.”Roger Rönnberg, Fribourg-Gottéron Head Coach
What to say about Fribourg? The reigning Swiss champions have been determined from the get-go and have entered the new season with a new-found appetite for trophies - the European Trophy is firmly in their sights!
And two games in they look to be right on track. Fribourg took maximum points from a two-game road trip to Austria, facing KAC Klagenfurt and the Graz99ers, and will now play two games in front of their home fans.
Scoring has been split across multiple lines, while the Swiss have also cycled their two main goalies - Ludovic Waeber and Elijah Neuenschwander - both of whom performed superbly.
Compared to Pilsen, Fribourg look to have struggled to keep their heads in the game at stages and made costly mistakes, resulting in goals against in some cases. But the gome crowd could calm their nerves as they seek their third-straight win of the season.
“Swiss hockey has been on the rise for a long time. Fribourg are a well-organised team, strong both in skating and tactically. In recent years, they have established themselves among Europe’s elite.”Josef Jandač, HC Pilsen Head Coach
Fribourg will have extra motivation for this game, as this will be a super special night for veteran CHL Head Coach Roger Rönnberg, as the four-time CHL Champion will take to the bench for his 100th CHL game. Fribourg will definitely want to reward him with a win from this one!
Don't miss this extra special game on Friday, 11 September at 19:45 CEST!