Sparta Prague return to the CHL off the back of a very successful, yet disappointing, season in the Czech Extraliga. The eight-time Czech champions lifted the President’s Trophy as the best team in the regular season and were well on their way to winning their first championship title in over ten years but were dramatically outed in an all-or-nothing game 7 in their semi-final series with rivals Bílí Tygři Liberec.

The last time Sparta played in the CHL, they made it all the way to the Final, narrowly missing out on lifting the European Trophy to Frölunda Gothenburg.

The Växjö Lakers enter their sixth season of top-level European hockey as reigning SHL champions. Despite only being promoted to Sweden’s top tier in 2011, they have won the championship three times since and are now a title contending team each season.

They have also made a name for themselves in the CHL over the years – their most successful season in the CHL was 2017/18, when the Swedish club made it all the way to the Final where, similarly to Sparta a year prior, they sadly fell short.

Växjö and Sparta have met in two past CHL seasons – the first time was back in the 2014/15 season, when they faced off in Group G. Over the course of their two Group Stage games, Sparta scored 10 goals, beating them on both occasions.

Their second encounter was in the 2016/17 season – Växjö were in great form and were contenders for the European Trophy that season. They sailed through the Group Stage and made it all the way to the Semi-Finals where they drew Sparta. Despite losing the first game 1-2, Växjö still had all to play for in Prague.

But instead of a performance worthy of a Final contender, they returned to Sweden with four goals in their net after a stellar performance from the Czechs.

So, their balance? Sparta 4 – Växjö 0. The Swedes will certainly be looking to turn that around during their opening CHL game of the season in front of their home crowd.