This Quarter-Finals matchup sees 2020 Champions Hockey League Finalists Mountfield HK, who are the last remaining Czech team in the competition, face eight-time CHL qualifiers EV Zug who, coincidentally, are the last remaining Swiss side in this season - here's how they stack up against each other!
- Both teams met in the 2019/20 Quarter-Finals - Mountfield won the Return Game
- Both teams have had amazing fan support this season - home and away
- Zug unbeaten so far
Quarter-Finalists Mountfield can be summarised as a high-scoring offensive team that have no issue getting themselves into the game, and onto the scoresheet, but lack slightly when the game shifts and they are forced to defend - that's when they start making mistakes and letting in goals.
The Czechs have won six games so far this season and with 36 goals for, they are one of the highest-scoring teams in the competition, third behind Zug (37) and Frölunda Gothenburg (41).Their most prominent attacking threats have come from Kevin Klíma (5G, 5A), team captain Radek Smoleňák (5G, 2A) - who with five goals each are Mountfield's joint top scorers, and Lukáš Cingel (3G, 5A), who has been a crucial player up front.
The Czechs secured their spot in the Quarter-Finals by beating Färjestad Karlstad in OT of their Return Game.
Mountfield entered the game one goal down on aggregate but wasted no time in tying the series and taking an early lead with two first-period goals.
The Czechs even went two goals up on aggregate when Radek Pilař scored in the second period, but two goals from Färjestad in regulation tied the series 6-6.
In extra time, Lukáš Cingel scored in dramatic fashion sending the home crowd to their feet as Mountfield overcame Färjestad to move on.
Looking ahead of their two games with Zug, they'll have to be tighter defensively and better on the penalty kill (which up until this point has been operating at a mere 71%) to withstand another high-scoring team in the form of the Swiss side.
Zug might not need an introduction to CHL fans, but it might come as a surprise that the 2022 NL champions have only ever been in the CHL Quarter-Finals once before. That was in the 2019/20 season and they were eliminated by... you guessed it - Mountfield!
The Swiss team drew with the Czechs 1-1 away before Mounfield smashed them 4-0 in the BOSSARD Arena to move on to the Semi-Finals and, eventually, the Final.
Zug were disappointed after the game, especially since on their return to the CHL the following season, they failed to make it past the Group Stage, but this rematch could be different.
Zug have been an extremely dominant team this season, having won each and every game they've played this season - seven in regulation and one in OT.
They are the second-highest scoring team of the season but have also let in the second-least goals (just 11). The resulting Goal Difference of +26 puts them on top of the GD chart.
They have also been really effective on the powerplay - with 28.57%, they are in the Top 5 of most effective teams. And rounding out all these stats, they also feature a penalty kill unit that has been operating at nearly 90%, good for sixth CHL-wide.
Zug rolled over Red Bull Munich in the Round of 16 to make the Quarter-Finals, beating them 5-1 away and 5-1 at home - a result that no one would have predicted ahead of the Round of 16.
Three of their players have scored five goals - Brian O'Neill (5G, 11A), Peter Cehlárik (5G, 5A) and Dario Simion (5G, 1A), while many more are on three and more.
Niklas Hansson has been a stand-out player in defence, racking up 2G and 6A, good for over a point per game. Another player that must be highlighted is goaltender Leonardo Genoni who played in both of the Round of 16 games against Munich.
The Swiss International is a big reason why Zug have been so sturdy at the back. With a mere 1.4 Goals Against Average and 93.14 Save Percentage, he's one of the best in the business and tops many of the CHL stats charts.
Zug, with their deadly attack up front and a responsible and effective defence, are the team to beat so far this season - will Mountfield be the ones to do so?