Oceláři Třinec and Yunost Minsk are two teams with a fair bit of experience in the Champions Hockey League and against each other. This will be Třinec’s sixth appearance in the competition and Minsk’s fourth.
In last season’s Group Stage, the two teams met twice and each won at home. Ultimately, Minsk finished with one more point than Třinec in Group D, which was the dividing line between going and going home. This year, Třinec will try to reverse that.
“Our goal is to advance through the first round. We are hoping to have a more successful CHL run than we had last season,” said Třinec Head Coach Václav Varaďa.
“We played two tough games against Minsk last season in the Group Stage, especially the game in Belarus, which was very unlucky for us. We took a lot of penalties and lost the game. The second game in Třinec, we played very well and won 7-2.”
“The Yunost players are very skilled. They skate well and play on the edge, but I believe we’ll be successful and advance to the next round.”Václav Varaďa (Head Coach, Oceláři Třinec)
“On one hand, we played this team last season, in general, we are already familiar with them,” said Yunost Head Coach Alexander Makritski. “On the other hand, both teams are rebuilding, with regards to rosters and in other aspects. That’s why, from this day, we will closely watch and analyze our opponents.”
Makritski continued: “One thing I can say for sure – we would like to go as far as possible through the Champions Hockey League playoffs.”
“It’s an honour to represent Belarus in an international tournament as prestigious as this and we’ll play to win, no matter what.”Alexander Makritski (Head Coach, Yunost Minsk)
Makritski has reason to be optimistic, having edged out Třinec last year to reach the Round of 16 for the first time after a couple of close calls. They gave the eventual-champion Frölunda Indians a good scare in the Round of 32 three years ago and have always been formidable on their home ice, which is where the series starts.
Třinec, on the other hand, have experienced disappointment the last two years but the team’s fans still talk about their memorable trip to the Semi-Finals in 2017/18. While there has been some roster turnover since then, several players and Coach Varaďa still remain, and they see this match-up with Minsk as the first step towards what could be another deep run. But with only two games, nothing can be left to chance.
“Both games will be a very important for us to advance into the Czech Extraliga season,” said Varaďa. “We hope to have every player healthy, in top game shape, and ready to help us go after the win in the Round of 32.”
“For us, it’s difficult to say whether this is good or not,” Makritski said about the lack of a Group Stage this season. “But for sure, the margin for error is gone, so it will be necessary for the coaches to make sure the team is prepared to the highest level before each game.”
Overall, Makritski concluded: “Participation in the Champions Hockey League is a big plus for the team and, in general, for ice hockey in Belarus. Experience in the international arena is very important for our players and our fans have the opportunity to watch games against the best clubs in Europe, so everyone benefits.”
“All of us – the fans, my team and the whole HC Oceláři Třinec organization – are taking the CHL very seriously,” said Varaďa. “We want to play lots of tough games against the best of the other European teams. Our players have gained a lot of experience from CHL games in the past, and they will do their best for us to advance as far as possible.”