Mountfied HK got the perfect start to their Champions Hockey League debut season with a commanding 3-0 win over TPS Turku.
The Czech side from Hradec Kralove were the better side from the beginning, outshooting their Finnish opponents 14-6 in the opening period. They duly took the lead with 12:39 played - Lukáš Vopelka firing home from close range. Things got better for the hosts just under four minutes later - Henrik Tallinder came out of position to throw a hit, Mountfield had a 2-on-1 and Richard Jarůšek on the wrist shot to double his side's lead.
No goals in the middle period meant it was still a two-goal game going into the third, although TPS did rally somewhat and create some decent chances during those 20 minutes.
At the beginning of the final period, the 3519 crowd were on their feet again, when Petr Koukal lifted a rebound into the top of the net with only 24 seconds played. At 46:31 the hosts made it four, Vopelka's pass out in front getting a lucky deflection and trickling past Oskari Setanen over the line. What looked to be a late consolation goal as the last of the game was added by TPS' Lauri Pujaniemi with just under five minutes to play. However Mountfield weren't done, and re-established a four-goal lead with 2:40 to play through Jaroslav Bednar to cap off a great win.
"In the first period it was important that we scored two goals. In the next they defended better, but both teams had chances. In the third we got two PP goals and it was very positive."Vaclav Sykora (Mountfield HK)
"I think Mountfield were very aggressive, pressured hard and have skills. It's a good combination, the bad thing was that we didn't play well under pressure with the puck. It's a tough game, but a good lessons for us."Kalle Kaskinen (TPS Turku)