German newcomer Pinguins Bremerhaven have a tough task in front of them as they match up against Champions Hockey League veterans TPS Turku. Despite this challenge, however, the club from northern Germany have battled bigger odds before and enjoyed swift success, reaching the playoff quarter-finals three times since their promotion to the DEL in 2016. The two teams will meet at the Gatorade Center to begin their respective journeys for the European Trophy.

TPS are coming into this CHL season fresh off a stellar domestic league performance where they finished second in the Liiga playoffs. Newly appointed head coach Jussi Ahokas is excited to lead his club into this campaign and believes he has “an active, fast and strong team that likes puck control.”

With ten players on their roster born after the year 2000, Turku has a wealth of youngsters that are looking to showcase their skills in the pan-European competition. One such player is Juuso Pärssinen. Last season, the 20-year-old from Hämeenlinna, Finland was second on the team in points with 42 in 55 games played. 

Compared to TPS’s roster, the Pinguins are sporting a more veteran core. But with their top three scorers aged 30 years or older, age is certainly not a detriment to the club’s success. On the contrary, players such as centreman Jan Urbas and defenceman Stanislav Dietz were some of the most prolific scorers this past season. Though they are “by far the smallest club in the DEL,” according to their sports director Alfred Prey, the Pinguins have proven time and again that they can compete.

The club’s qualification has cemented them as one of the DEL’s top teams and as they prepare for their match-up against TPS, this wild-card team from Bremerhaven is excited to see CHL action.