Three goals in the first and one more in the third helped propel Sparta Prague into a comfortable lead against fellow Czech challenger Oceláři Třinec who secured one tally of their own as the reigning Extraliga champions find themselves in danger of missing the Quarter-Finals for the sixth straight year as the two teams get set for the Return Game of their Round of 16 series in the 2024/25 Champions Hockey League.

Going into their contest against Sparta, Třinec's high-powered offence, coupled with their excellent powerplay, were poised to give Sparta some problems. As one of the leading scoring teams in the league with a man-advantage that was among the best in conversion, it seemed Třinec - who ended fourth in the standings - had all the pieces in place to secure their place in the next leg of the competition. Fortunately, they continued to show a strong presence on special teams, netting their only goal on the powerplay.

But a quick start from Sparta and a lack of response from Třinec have jeopardised the squad's advancement to the Quarter-Finals. Going forward, the team from eastern Czechia would do well to reexamine their deficiencies in defence. Their scoring woes aside, it was their lack of defence which was most concerning for a team that only conceded one more goal during the Regular Season than Sparta. Fine-tuning the backend will be critical to their success against a Sparta team that took them for 33 shots and converted on the powerplay.

As the only team entering the Round of 16 with a negative goal differential, Sparta have given themselves some breathing room heading into their Return Game, but if history is an indicator, the team from the Czech capital should be wary of resting on their laurels. For them to make their third Quarter-Finals appearance, Sparta should also be focusing their efforts on defence. Adding another marker to their total would, of course, be helpful, but solidifying themselves on the blueline is a priority.

Last game, their defence was on point limiting Třinec to only four high-danger opportunities. They did, however, falter on special teams where Třinec have had no trouble exposing their opponents' PK this season. Consequently, maintaining their discipline will only help Sparta who have shown they can compete with their opponents on 5-on-5 hockey.