HC Pilsen facing Skellefteå AIK in the Quarter-Finals sees the top two teams, so far, in this season’s Champions Hockey League face each other.
However aside from the numbers behind why those teams have enjoyed such good rides to this stage, there’s something a bit more personal in this game for Pilsen’s leading goal scorer Milan Gulaš. We caught up with him earlier this week to take his thoughts on playing the Swedes, and find out why this game means a little more for him.
“Of course we’re very happy with how we’ve done so far,” began the 32-year-old. “It should be a great series with Skellefteå, they have a really good team with some great players, a great coach, and I think they’re a top team in Europe. We’re under no illusions that this is going to be really tough.”
"He was a tough coach, but a very fair person."Milan Gulaš on Skellefteå's Head Coach Tommy Samuelsson, the pair worked together in the SHL.
Gulaš spent three and a half seasons in Sweden with Färjestad Karlstad, his coach at that time? The man who’ll be behind the home bench on Tuesday - Tommy Samuelsson.
“I’m so excited for this game, because I know coach Tommy Samuelsson. I played under him for two years in Sweden at Färjestad, so it’s a bit of a special game for me in that respect,” he revealed. “He was a tough coach, a little bit ‘old-school’, but he’s a very fair person. He was very tough on the players, but I liked him for that. I was with him for two years; it was a long time, we had both good and bad times, but he was really good and I’m excited to be seeing him again as well.”
While seeing an old friend in Samuelsson is one thing, the forward also has some unfinished business both with a familiar foe as well. “My best memory from Sweden is reaching the finals in my first season there, 2013-14,” said Gulaš, who scored 138 points in 177 SHL games. “In the end we were swept 4-0 in the finals by Skellefteå, so it adds another reason to why this game is special and why I really want us to be successful.”
With knowledge of the two leagues, what’s the main difference? “I think our league in the Czech Republic is a lot different to Sweden. In Sweden the teams are much better defensively, while in our league we’re probably too offensive,” suggested the native of České Budějovice. “I’d say we probably have more skilled players in the Czech league, but the Swedes are a lot tougher and play their systems with more discipline. It’s very different there from what we’re used to, but it makes playing a team from the SHL all the more exciting.”
Gulaš played in the CHL for three seasons with Färjestad, and is now in his first for Pilsen in the competition. While a few teams have struggled with attendances, for Pilsen’s captain there really is no doubt about how he feels taking part in the tournament: “For the players, honestly this is a great league. I want it to be a full house, because I can say these really are just fantastic games to play in,” he concluded.