Oceláři Třinec Head Coach Václav Varaďa may well go back to the drawing board after a disasterious opening weekend for last season's semi-finalists.
Those memories have since been replaced by flashbacks of goal after goal, and not the few they’ve scored. The Czech side have the unwelcome record of leading the CHL so far this season in most goals conceded, lowest save percentage and least efficient penalty kill - that despite only being a goal behind against Djurgården in the first game with 13 minutes left to play.
Last week a clever poke check from a Djurgården forward disrupted a pass from defenceman Lukáš Kovář, which instead found the stick of an advancing Jacob Josefsson who slotted it home. The goal proved to be the start of the landslide for Třinec who conceded another three goals that game, before losing 8-2 against Finnish side Tappara Tampere.
Regardless of the result, Třinec will hope to keep the score low against Djurgården and prevent them from building further momentum after they beat Storhamar Hamar 3-2 in OT. A loss for the visitors would all-but end their hopes of making the playoffs.