Czech challengers Sparta Prague got the results they needed as they bested Pinguins Bremerhaven by a 4-2 final to improve to seven points on the season.

A better all-around effort from Sparta saw the Czechs muster three tallies in the opening stanza to take a commanding lead through the first 20 minutes.

The home side opened the scoring on a brilliant individual effort from veteran Michal Řepík who powered down the near side before cutting inside and elevating it over the blocker of Kristers Gudlevskis at 9:26.

Two minutes later, Bremerhaven's perfect penalty kill suffered its first lapse in defence when the Czechs converted their second marker on the powerplay as Jani Lajunen fluttered the puck into the net on a one-timer to double the hosts' lead.

As play continued, the Czech side succeeded in hemming the Germans in their own zone for long stretches of play which resulted in Kryštof Hrabík securing his second goal of the CHL season when he stuffed home a bouncing puck with a little over four minutes to go in the first. Ondřej Mikliš's initial shot bounced off the end boards before popping out in front of the net as Hrabík put it home to make it 3-0.

Down by three to start the second, Bremerhaven upped the pace of their play in the middle frame producing more shots and generating more chances.

One of those chances eventually worked out when Fabian Herrmann managed to gain control of the puck in the far circle before turning and sliding it towards Nicholas B. Jensen who redirected it past Josef Kořenář to get his team on the board.

As play moved to the third period, it wouldn't take long for the Czech side to reclaim their three-goal lead. Aaron Irving was credited with his first of the tournament when he let go a one-timer from the point that found its way past Gudlevskis.

But Bremerhaven continued to battle back as they registered their second of the night off the stick of Nicolas Appendino who scored his first-ever Champions Hockey League tally in his third-ever CHL game when his shot from the blueline found its way into the back of the net.

With under two minutes to play in regulation, Bremerhaven went with six attackers but were unable to break through Kořenář for a third time as the Germans would go on to drop their second contest of the campaign.