- Pardubice boast high-powered offence
- Lahti's Round of 16 bid not guaranteed
- Limiting Pardubice's offensive chances a priority for Lahti
Czech side Dynamo Pardubice will host the Lahti Pelicans as both enter this Game Day 5 contest with a split 2-2 record. Two consecutive wins were eclipsed by two consecutive losses as Pardubice fell 3-2 to the Straubing Tigers while Lahti managed to skate away with their second win of the season, defeating Danish challengers SønderjyskE Vojens by a 4-2 final.
Following their strong start to a season that saw the Czechs pot 12 goals and only concede one in their first two contests, Pardubice were brought back down to earth during their trip to Germany as they suffered their first and second losses, both of which were 3-2 decisions.
Looking ahead, Pardubice have the opportunity to right the ship as they go up against a Lahti side which is currently allowing 3.75 goals against per game. Having a strong veteran presence in Roman Červenka will only help matters as the five-time CHLer leads the team in points with one goal and five assists for six points in three games.
Currently sitting in 16th place, Lahti's Playoffs future is a bit more precarious as the Finns will look to score points in the two games remaining. As they prepare for Pardubice, one area the Finns should be focusing on is their backend. To have success against the Czechs, the Liiga club will need to limit their opponent's chances in the offensive zone. This is paramount as Pardubice are currently producing an average of 4.00 goals per game.