HPK Hämeenlinna host HC Pilsen in Finland for their third game this season. Both teams opened their CHL season facing each other in Pilsen last week and if that game is anything to go by, the return game will be a very even matchup. That game ended 5-4 for Pilsen after Martin Straka’s overtime goal, but HPK showed their readiness to compete with the best in the CHL with an excellent performance from the get-go. Their debut in the competition saw them score the first two goals of the match and stay in the lead righ to the very end, when Jakub Pour tied the score at 4-4 with just over 3 and a half minutes of playing time remaining and drag the game to overtime. Head to head both teams had an even faceoff win percentage, but because of all of HPK’s penalties (7 in total compared to Pilsen’s 1), they hindered themselves offensively and gave Pilsen space to create with an extra skater on the ice

On Game Day 2, HPK made history as they won their first ever CHL match. And who else to beat then 6-time CHL participants EV Zug. Unlike the game in Pilsen, it was HPK who found themselves having to comeback on three occasions during the game and finally tying the score at 3-3 with only minutes to go. With no goal in OT, only a shootout declared HPK winners. But once again penalties were a big talking point – HPK gained 17 penalty minutes, including Tommi Tikka’s 2+2 for boarding and Miro Karjalainen ended the game early after a roughing penalty in the second period sending him to the locker rooms. Pilsen on the other hand had a very comfortable home game and scored 9 into Rungsted IK’s net in a 12-goal thriller – largely thanks to captain Milan Gulaš, who stared on the night with 3 goals and 3 assists.

HPK’s first ever home CHL game will certainly attract a crowd, who could give their team that extra bit of energy that could decide another close match between the two teams.