Swiss side Fribourg-Gottéron will host Oceláři Třinec at BCF Arena in a historic first game between the two teams. Expect excitement as both teams jostle for points in their first contest of the 2021/22 season.

Fribourg-Gottéron were strong contenders in the top Swiss league last season, finishing just behind HC Lugano and EV Zug. With a third place finish in the NL table, they earned a coveted ticket into the Champions Hockey League. The Swiss contenders last participated in the 2016/17 CHL season and after an extended absence, they will be looking to make an impact. Keep an eye out for forwards Killian Mottet and Christopher DiDomenico. The Swiss-Canadian duo registered 94 points combined in their last NL season.  

Fribourg-Gottéron are well versed in Czech hockey having faced teams like PSG Zlín and HC Vítkovice Ridera in previous CHL seasons. Those games have been tightly contested battles with both wins and losses.

Czech contenders Oceláři Třinec come with considerable CHL experience, and Extraliga silverware, including titles from 2011, 2019 and 2021. In five CHL campaigns, their best performance was in 2017/18, when they went all the way to the Semi-Finals. They were knocked out by Finnish side JYP and have since been snake-bitten, not reaching another Semi-Final since.

More recently, and off the back of an exceptional 2020/21 Extraliga season in which they were crowned champions, Oceláři Třinec are sizing up their opponents to make it through the Group Stage.

Their offensive weaponry includes the likes of top forward Martin Růžička, who racked up 63 points this last season. The 30-year-old Prague native, Andrej Nestrašil will also join the Czech side and bring with him a wealth of experience from his time in the AHL, NHL and KHL.