DEL champions Eisbären Berlin will welcome in-form Dynamo Pardubice to Germany for a clash of two clubs with great European pedigree hoping to live up to their big names on the continent. The visiting Czechs have been the team to beat so far this season, having only let a single goal hit the back of their net while dishing out a staggering 12.
Meanwhile, Berlin had a wobbly start to the season on the road but bounced back with a convincing win on their second leg of the trip. With their first home game of the season ahead of them, they'll have the advantage of no travel and a familiar and comfortable environment. But will that be enough? Can they become the first team to stop the Pardubice train? With all these question marks around this game, it's no surprise why it's our pick of the round!
- Berlin are 1-1 this season
- Pardubice 2-0 having scored 12 and let in just a single goal
- First-time match-up in 12 combined CHL seasons
Berlin have had mixed results to begin their 2024/25 campaign. A 3-1 loss to the Växjö Lakers made way for a 4-1 win against Polish competitors Unia Oświęcim with Berlin playing a much more disciplined game in their second effort.
The team from the German capital haven't shown the dominance we expected and despite their recent win, they still have some tweaks to make as they get set to take on their toughest challenger to date. This starts with a lack in point production from their top players.
The top scorer on last year's team, Zachary Boychuk, currently only has one point while Marcel Noebels, another gifted forward, has also only found the scoresheet once. If Berlin can start to get more from their top players, their chances of claiming their second win become that much stronger.
“Berlin have long been one of the best teams in German hockey, they won the championship last season. We expect aggressive hockey all over the hockey rink and a proper fight with a quality opponent."Marek Zadina, Dynamo Pardubice Head Coach
Where to start with Pardubice? Spectacular sums them up so far in 2024/25 as the back-to-back Czech Extraliga regular season winners have proved themselves against not just a lesser-ranked team in Hungary's rising stars Fehérvár AV19 but also an accomplished European juggernaut in Tappara Tampere.
They're confident on the puck, stick to their game plan and have plenty of high-quality players that can shoulder their share of a tough game. No surprise that Roman Červenka leads the team in points after two games having racked up 4A, while Martin Kaut and Lukáš Sedlák top the goal scoring chart with three goals each.
In short, Pardubice are determined to finally make it to the very top where they look to settle down.
“Czech teams are always difficult to play against. Dynamo Pardubice were top of the Extraliga regular season last year and play a very physical game. We respect their game and skills."Serge Aubin, Eisbären Berlin Head Coach
Regardless of which one of these organisations you'll be cheering for, we're sure to have a game on our hands when they clash!
You have to make time for this one! Don't miss the game on Friday, 13 September at 19:30 CEST!