Balázs Sebők and his Finnish club KalPa headed into their Friday night Champions Hockey League matchup against the Vienna Capitals needing a win in regulation if they wanted to stay alive in the CHL. The Capitals were a point away from advancing to the knockout stage.
KalPa came into the game without a point and needed to pick up three if they wanted to have the Sunday's game in Vienna to have any meaning. “We had a lot of pressure on us since we did not make it out of the group stage last season, also needing a win in regulation was added pressure.” said Sebők.
The Capitals went up 1-0 on a power play goal but KalPa tied it up on a power play goal of their own as Sebők started it all and picked up an assist. “We were on a power play and I picked up my own rebound, passed it back up to the blue line, the D-men made D to D pass with a shot coming from the top”
After Luka Santeri’s goal KalPa scored twice more with Villa-Vesa scoring both and the Finnish club picking up the win. The two teams will meet up again Sunday, this time in Vienna with the winner advancing to the knockout stage.
“In the first we were a bit frozen but started to play better as the game went on. From inside it felt as if we had dominated the second and third periods and eventually we scored that first goal, soon after we followed up with the second and third goals. I hope this game will give us enough momentum to win on Sunday as well.
