Vitkovice – Ingolstadt 5:1 (end) | Třinec – Bern 7:0 (end) | Tappara – Stavanger 7:3 (end)
Kuopio – Sparta 4:5 (2:3 after SO) | Köln – Košice 2:1 (end) | Vienna – Färjestad 4:1 (end)
Krefeld – Skellefteå 1:2 (end) | Zürich – Vålerenga 4:1 (end) | Genève – Frölunda 4:3 (end)
Briançon – Villach 1:2 (end) | Zug – SaiPa 1:2 (end) | Liberec – Kärpät 3:4 (end)
SønderjyskE – IFK Helsinki 4:5 (0:2 after SO) | Djurgården – Fribourg 5:4 (after OT) | Växjö – Mannheim 6:1 (end)
after shootout (2:3)
KalPa Kuopio
4:5 (2:0, 1:2, 1:2 - 0:0)
Sparta Prague
Thursday 21.08.2014, 17:30 • Kuopion Jäähalli • Champions League
     
    Welcome. This game starts at 17:30 CET, 18:30 EET.
     
    KalPa Kuopio and Sparta Prague open their CHL season on Thursday in Kuopio. KalPa's 2013-14 season was a huge disappointment. The team was dead last in the Finnish Liiga. Now they want to go back on track with new head coach Pekka Virta.

    Sparta Prague finished first in the Czech Extraliga regular season standings but lost in the semi-finals. Sparta arrived in Kuopio on Wednesday and the players got to know to the rink with a team practice.

    These teams have met twice over the last two years and Sparta has been better in both games. In 2012 Sparta won Kuopio 5-1 and 2013 Sparta was better on their home ice by a closer 6-4 margin.

     
    Welcome to follow the game between KalPa Kuopio and Sparta Prague. Both teams are on the ice and the game will start soon.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    00:42
    Icing for Sparta.
     
    00:54
    First scoring chance by KalPa´s Keränen, but Stana saves it easily.
     
    02:12
    Penalty for Sparta. Jan Buchtele 2 min for interference.
     
    04:16
    Both teams are playing at full stength.
     
    05:23
    Kubalik hits the post! KalPa is dominating the game.
     
    05:55
    And another post. Koivisto was all alone in front of Sparta's goal, but couldn´t find the net.
    Koivisto at the chance.
     
    05:56
    Penalty for Sparta. Klimek gets two minutes.
     
    07:56
    Teams are at full strength.
     
    10:29
    First commercial break. KalPa controls the puck all the way. Sparta hasn't created any scoring chances so far.
     
    11:12
    Good shift by Sparta´s second line. Kilpeläinen collects his first save of the night.
     
    12:16
    Goal for KalPa!
    JYRI JUNNILA was on a breakaway and shoots the puck in top corner. Assisted by: Antti Halonen
    JUNNILA - 1:0
     
    14:42
    Icing against KalPa.
     
    15:11
    Buchtele shoots, but Kilpeläinen makes solid pad save.
     
    17:21
    Michal Barinka gets two minutes for interference.
     
    17:58
    Goal for KalPa!
    KalPa capitalize their powerplay. JUUSO RIIKOLA shoots on the blue line and it went in. Assisted by: Arttu Ilomäki and Michal Birner.
    RIIKOLA - 2:0
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    KalPa dominated the first period. Home team control the puck and Sparta has big difficulties to create any chances.
     
    Saves on the first period: Kilpeläinen 6, Stana 10.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    20:07
    Goal for Sparta!
    What a start for second period. ROBERT SABOLIC intercepts KalPa´s defender Mikko Jokelas awful pass and shoots the puck in the top corner. Unassisted.
    SABOLIC - 2:1
     
    21:42
    Great chance by Buchtele, but Kilpeläinen makes double save. Strong start for Sparta.
     
    23:00
    Liedes gets a minor penalty. Sparta has their first chance on power play.
     
    23:36
    Goal for Sparta!
    Beautiful goal for Sparta. Jaroslav Hlinka sees LUKAS CINGEL and he has all the time to move the puck in empty net. Assisted by: Jaroslav Hlinka.
    CINGEL - 2:2
     
    25:04
    Home team timeout.
     
    26:49
    Kumstat gets two minutes for tripping.
     
    28:49
    Teams are at full strength.
     
    32:10
    Koivisto gets two minutes for hooking. Can Sparta repeat they last PP?
     
    32:47
    Daloga shoots from the blue line, but easy save by Kilpeläinen.
     
    33:16
    KalPa gets another penalty. Riikola with 2 minutes for holding.
     
    35:25
    One too many passes for Spartas PP. KalPa kills both penalties.
     
    37:45
    Goal for KalPa!
    SAMI MUTANEN´s harmless shot from blue line went in. Soft goal against Sparta. Stana won´t be happy for that one. Assisted by Juuso Riikola.
    MUTANEN - 3:2
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    Tables really turned on this second period. Sparta controls the game, but due to Stana´s big mistake, KalPa is still leading the game.
     
    Saves for second period: Kilpeläinen 9, Stana 2.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    40:52
    Pech (SPA) gets two minutes penalty for kneeing.
     
    42:23
    Kumstat has breakaway, but he misses the net.
     
    42:25
    Lyytinen (KAL) gets two minutes for hooking.
     
    44:10
    Sabolic shoots, but Kilpeläinen catches the puck.
     
    44:30
    Both teams are playing at full strength.
     
    45:50
    Little coast to coast -time there. Both teams has couple of chances.
     
    45:57
    Lyytinen (KAL) gets another penalty for hooking.
     
    47:46
    Barinka has chance, but Kilpeläinen moves quickly and makes the save.
     
    47:48
    Both teams are in a full strength.
     
    49:57
    Kolehmainen is face to face with Stana, but Stana makes his best save for tonight,
     
    54:20
    Rolinek shoots from the left circle, but Kilpeläinen makes excellent save.
     
    55:08
    Goal for Sparta!
    JAN BUCHTELE shoots and the game is tied. Assisted by: Reway.
    BUCHTELE - 3:3
     
    57:40
    Goal for KalPa!
    MICHAL BIRNER´s quick shot suprised Stana. The puck went in on five-hole. Assisted by: Tomas Kubalik and Arttu Ilomäki.
    BIRNER - 4:3
     
    58:33
    Goal for Sparta!
    KalPa misses the puck in their own zone and Buchtele´s accurate shot went in. Assisted by: Marek Daloga.
    BUCHTELE - 4:4
     
    60:00
    3rd period finished.
     
    Saves for third period: Kilpeläinen (KAL) 10, Stana (SPA) 7
     
    60:01
    Overtime began.
     
    60:11
    Cingel has great opportunity to finnish the game, but he misses the net.
     
    61:34
    Offside for KalPa.
     
    62:21
    Birner´s shot is saved by Stana.
     
    65:00
    Overtime finished.
     
    And the game goes into a shootout. First 3 shooters each and if the game is still tie there will be sudden death shots.
     
    Pech (SPA) scores.
     
    Kubalik (KAL). Stana makes the save.
     
    Reway (SPA). Nice backhand goal.
     
    Birner (KAL) scores.
     
    Buchtele (SPA). Kilpeläinen saves.
     
    Voutilainen (KAL). Great shot and the shootout is tied.
    SABOLIČ - 4:5
     
    Ilomäki (KAL). No goal.
     
    Cingel (SPA). No goal.
     
    Keränen (KAL) misses the net. Sparta win the game!
     
    Goal for Sparta!
    ROBERT SABOLIC converts the decisive shot.
     
    Game over. (20:36:57)

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    Commentary by

    Juha Koljonen

    CZ@@KoljonenJuha

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 13. Junnila (Halonen), 18. Riikola (Ilomäki, Birner), 38. Mutanen (Riikola), 58. Birner (Kubalik, Ilomäki) – 21. Sabolic, 24. Cingel (Hlinka, Sabolic), 56. Buchtele (Reway), 59. Buchtele (Daloga), dec. p.s. Sabolic

    KalPa Kuopio: Kilpeläinen (Perhonen) – Halonen, Jokela, Riikola, Koivisto, Konttinen, Lyytinen, Seppälä – Birner, Ilomäki, Kubalik – Keränen, Rissanen, Voutilainen – Mutanen, Kinnunen, Kolehmainen – Liedes, Harjama, Junnila –Tammela.
    Sparta Prague: Stana (Novotny) – Pilar, Daloga, Barinka, Piskacek, Hrbas, Polasek, Mikus, Svrcek – Cingel, Hlinka, Sabolic – Pech, Kumstat, Rolinek – Reway, Buchtele, Pribyl – Torquato, Bahensky, Klimek.
    Referees: P. Sjöberg (SWE), T. Metsälä (FIN) – S. Orava (FIN), H. Perämäki (FIN)
    Attendance: 2246