Both winners in their first games on Thursday night, the winner of this
KalPa-Kometa match-up will have the lead in Group B after two games. After winning 2-1 in Stavanger, the Czech team expects this game in Kuopio to be a tougher one.

“I think their skating will be on a higher level than the Norwegian team,” Brno defenceman Jakub Krejčík figures. “It’s hard to say exactly, though, because I've never played against this particular team. However, I do expect them to be a strong opponent.”

KalPa fell behind 4-1 on home ice against Malmö before rallying to win 6-4, thanks to a Kai Kantala hat-trick. Impressive, but they would rather put themselves in a position where they don’t have to come back.

“We have to start better, be ready from the first period, as today they were all over us, so we need to be better,” said forward Alex Lavoie, who scored KalPa’s third goal against Malmö. “But we are going to play our game/ I don't know what is coming up, but I think the coaching staff is going to prepare us, and let's hope we can do a great job like we did tonight.”