With a place in the final on the line, a good start is crucial as Djurgården Stockholm take the only remaining team outside of Sweden, Mountfield HK of the Czech Republic.

In their fifth season in the Champions Hockey League, this is the furthest that Djurgården have ever been in the tournament, only ever reaching the Round of 16 previously. They finished second in Group F, and had a tough test to get through the first round. They faced off against SHL rivals Skellefteå AIK and after the first game nothing could separate the sides as they drew 3-3. In the second leg though it was a much different story, Djurgården comfortably booked their place in the next round with a big 4-1 victory, setting up a meeting with last year’s finalists Red Bull Munich in the Quarter-Finals, but after a 5-1 lead after the first leg, they were well on their way to the Semi-Finals where they take on Mountfield. With defenseman Olle Alsing proving to be a huge difference maker for his team, they’ll be looking for his defensive ability as well as offensive prowess to shine through in the first leg, as they look to book their spot in the Final.

For Mountfield HK, it’s a similar story, with the Semi-Finals being the furthest they’ve ever been in their Champions Hockey League journey. Previously they’ve never managed to get out of the Group Stage but despite an opening game loss to the Cardiff Devils, they’ve turned things around from there, finishing second in Group H before upsetting German side Adler Mannheim in the Round of 16. A big part of their journey through the playoffs has come between the pipes as Marek Mazanec has been outstanding thus far. He’s posted two shutouts in the playoffs and only allowed two goals against in both the Round of 16 against Mannheim and in the Quarter-Finals against EV Zug. In the Quarter-Finals, nothing could separate Moutnfield or Zug with a 1-1 score line after the first leg, but with Mazanec posting a shutout in the return leg, and Mountfield scoring four times, it’s secured their place in the Semi-Finals, and now they’ll be hoping for more solid goaltending to deny Djurgården the chance of making it an all Swedish grand Final.

The first goal of the game was scored at 2:50 by Gustav Possler (Djurgården Stockholm).