# Champions Hockey League group stage progression > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/champions-hockey-league-group-stage-progression > Updated: 2026-10-17T13:00:00.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 3. The Champions Hockey League group stage concluded with several teams securing spots in the knockout phase. Fribourg-Gottéron of Switzerland ensured early qualification for the round of 16 following a 6-1 victory against Slovakian champions HK Nitra. In the final round of group play, Czech teams Bílí Tygři Liberec, HC Dynamo Pardubice, and HC Škoda Plzeň all successfully advanced to the knockout stage. Despite a 5-1 win in their final match against Rögle BK, HK Nitra was eliminated from the competition, finishing in 17th place after being overtaken in the standings by Liberec. Following their exit from the Champions Hockey League with eight points from six matches, HK Nitra transitioned back to domestic competition in the Tipsport liga. The team secured a 4-0 victory against Slovan Bratislava in the 12th round, led by goaltender Matt Jurusik, who recorded his third shutout. This win marked Nitra’s third consecutive league triumph, moving them to 10th place in the standings. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-17: HK Nitra concludes Champions Hockey League run and defeats Slovan Bratislava HK Nitra concludes its Champions Hockey League campaign without advancing to playoffs but secures a dominant 4-0 domestic victory over Slovan Bratislava in the Tipsport liga. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hk-nitra-concludes-champions-hockey-league-run-and-defeats-slovan-bratislava ### 2026-10-13: Champions League hockey: Czech teams advance as Nitra is eliminated Czech clubs Liberec, Pardubice, and Plzeň have secured spots in the Champions League playoffs, while Slovak champions HK Nitra were eliminated despite a final-round victory. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hk-nitra-faces-rgle-bk-in-decisive-champions-league-matchup ### 2026-10-06: Fribourg-Gottéron secures Champions Hockey League knockout spot Fribourg-Gottéron has qualified early for the Champions Hockey League knockout stage after defeating HK Nitra 6-1. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fribourg-gottron-secures-champions-hockey-league-knockout-spot --- Cite as: Champions Hockey League group stage progression. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/champions-hockey-league-group-stage-progression