Oceláři Třinec scored two in the first and two more in the third to overcome the Stavanger Oilers 4-2 and maintain a position in the Playoffs, while the Aalborg Pirates fell to HC Innsbruck 6-4 behind a career night for Braeden Shaw who netted a hattrick amid his five points in the contest on Game Day 5.

The Danes made it a game between Innsbruck in the second period when Patrick Bjorkstrand first cut into the Austrians’ lead near the seven-minute mark and then again when Jeppe Jul Korsgaard made it a 3-2 contest with less than a minute to go, but despite their efforts, Innsbruck were able to stave off any hopes of an Aalborg comeback as the Danish side dropped their fifth consecutive match-up.

Hoping to gain a victory before they bow out, Aalborg will need to find ways to establish a consistent defensive game. So far this season, the Danes have allowed five or more goals in four out of five contests giving them a CHL-worst 5.40 goals against per game average. Focusing their efforts on the backend and transitioning pucks out of their zone quickly could go a long way to securing their first win against a Třinec team that is tied for tenth place in goals for per game with 3.40.

To have any chance at reaching the Playoffs, the Czechs will need to find ways to expose Aalborg’s defensive weaknesses and maintain control of the game for the full 60 minutes.

In their game against Stavanger, Třinec were able to find the net but almost let the win slip away as Stavanger cut the deficit to one with less than five minutes to go in the final period. Maintaining the pace of play will prove vital for a victory against a desperate team in Aalborg.