The Belfast Giants head back home to host Oceláři Třinec in their second face-off with the 2022 Czech Extraliga champions. During their first meeting, Třinec managed to sweep Belfast 4-0 at home, as they outshot their opponents, 56-37.

Adam Keefe, Belfast’s Head Coach, reflected on his team’s first loss in their second CHL season, sharing this: “I thought we had our opportunities to put one in the net and change the game, but we didn’t take them. Třinec is a tough team to keep up the scoreboard for a full sixty, and we broke our shape in the third and they sung us, and we knew that can happen.”

It hasn’t been an easy road for the sole Irish professional ice hockey club, as they have yet to secure a win in their second CHL appearance, with their most recent loss coming at the hands of Swiss powerhouse HC Davos 5-1. 

As for Třinec, it seems that Belfast have been the only club they’ve been able to overpower, losing both matches against Skellefteå AIK.

When asked about his team’s recent loss against Skellefteå, Head Coach Zdeněk Moták expressed: “We were fighting till the end of course, but we made too many mistakes, and we were not aggressive enough in front of the net which was decisive, and we conceded easy goals."

Will the Czech champions be able to take the right lessons from their recent losses and topple Belfast once again, or will the power and passion of the home fans help Belfast finally get their first win?