EHL: Slavia on winning streak ahead of imposing EHL test – EHL

Slavia Prague made it three wins in succession to rise to second in the Czech Extra Liga table after four rounds of matches.

They swept aside the challenge of HC 1957 Kadaň 9-1 last weekend with Marek Mušinský scoring a hat trick as they look to hit form in time for an imposing EHL weekend where they will play Rot-Weiss Köln and Royal Orée.

Slavia will travel to Eindhoven with a side lighter on experience from previous years following the departures around the world of a number of key players.

František Toms joined Namur in the Belgian top division where he is playing alongside his brother Josef Toms, also a former Slavia player. Martin Plachý moved to Mönchengladbach in the second Bundesliga while goalkeeper František Svoboda has gone to the Netherlands.

Marek Zgraja, meanwhile, has paused his playing career to move to New York and the hugely experienced David Vacek has stepped back to the second team.

Picture: Vaclav Novacek

Their departures gives opportunity to young players from their junior section with Viktor Dušek and Jan Brandejs starting training with the first team and have already featured in some games.

The 24-year-old Patrik Dubina – a regular international for five years now – is one of the key figures along with Martin Capouch and Jan Brzák. Beyond them, Štěpán Šmíd is one of Slavia’s rising talents.

Dutch coach and ex-Hoofdklaase player Gino Schilders has returned to the team to assist head coach Miroslav Ludvík.

Slavia already has a history with Rot-Weiss Köln, as the two clubs met at the 2010 EuroHockey Indoor Club Cup. The German side won that game 9-1.

One player from that match is still in the squad today: veteran Martin Hanus, who is playing the final season of a distinguished career. He captained the Czech national team and was a key player for both the outdoor and indoor teams, as well as playing in the Bundesliga for Mönchengladbach.