Vienna, Salzburg and Wolfsburg could advance tonight, while Pardubice and Sheffield will look on nervously!
KalPa Kuopio vs. Vienna Capitals
Group N; Data Group Areena, 18:00
A point tonight, or when the two teams meet in the Austrian capital again on Sunday, would Vienna through, as the Capitals hold their CHL destiny in their own hands. KalPa, on the other hand, need to win both games in order to progress to the next round. Two points (or more) for the Capitals, either tonight or over both games, will also see them qualify as group winners – which would be an astounding achievement for the EBEL club against SHL and Liiga opposition.
"I haven’t really familiarized myself with their roster, but I think they will be a very experienced and hard-checking team. I think that they don’t skate as well as Skellefea AIK, and maybe that’s our chance to make the difference," said Tommi Jokinen, who is looking forward to getting back on the ice in the CHL after four years away from Kalpa. "I believe that our game system is very good against this kind of team, because we play a different style than most of the teams in their own league. We need to remember to play at both ends of the rink and use our opportunities well."
"It's going to be a difficult point to get, KalPa are a very good team," said Capitals' coach Serge Aubin. "Again though, my focus is only on us. We're going to do everything we can to get the point we need to reach the next round."
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Esbjerg Energy vs. IFK Helsinki
Group G; Granly Hockey Arena, 19:00
Esbjerg's unlikely point in Zug earlier this week gives them a slim advantage as they start their home and away series with IFK Helsinki. A three-point win would see the Danes qualify tonight, while any other result keeps the group alive when the two sides meet again on Sunday in the Finnish capital.
Lorenskog IK vs. TPS Turku
Group H; Lorenskog Ishall, 19:00
TPS have already won Group H, and Lorenskog are already out of the competition so only have pride at stake as they host their Finnish opponents. A win for TPS would give them a near-perfect record with 11 points, and it's also worth remembering that overall CHL record comes into play to determine who hosts the secon leg of playoff series and the one-game Final – so if TPS were to go all the way, they wouldn't want to miss out on home-ice advantage due to a slip-up in a dead rubber.
TPS's Miro Keskitalo did not want to play down the importance of today's game either, saying, "This Friday's game will be very important because it's our last game before our own league starts. We have to play a solid 60 minutes to get three points."
Vaxjo Lakers vs. Yunost Minsk
Group L; Vida Arena, 19:00
Another match-up where the group is already a done deal, Vaxjo host Minsk to decide who will win Group L and go through as a seeded team to the next round. Whoever wins tops the group, it's as simple as that. Minsk have already made history be becoming the first Belarusian team to make the knock-out stages, can they also be the first to top a group?
"It's time for the last game in the group stage and we are facing Yunost Minsk. So far they have played really well and tonights winner will finish first in the group. It is important to win the group to get a more beneficial seeding in the upcoming playoffs," said Vaxjo GM Henrik Evertsson. "We have been playing pretty solid hockey thus far, but still have not had a really great game – hopefully, the form chart is positive. What we can expect from Minsk is very technically adept hockey with a great execution, mainly on the power play."
HV71 Jonkoping vs. Red Bull Salzburg
Group P; Kinnarps Arena, 19:00
Salzburg head to Jonkoping with chance number two (of three) to make the next round. After losing at home to HV71 5-2, they go into this game again knowing that a point will get them through. Should they lose, they can try again Sheffield on Sunday and would qualify if they can avoid losing by eight goals – or score points, of course!
"Mentally, we can do a better job (than in the last game), we often made life difficult for ourselves," confided Red Bulls' coach Greg Poss after their home loss to HV71. "In Jonkoping, we need to try harder to take possession, to hold on to the puck and to avoid the penalties. At any rate, (the last) game showed us what we need to work on."
Red Bull Munich vs. Orli Znojmo
Group F; Olympia-Eisstadion, 19:00
Munich and Znojmo meet to conclude Group F with the hosts, having already qualified and the visitors knowing they will go no further in this season's competition. Munich do have something to play for though – a win in regulation time would put them through as group winners over Fribourg.
Frolunda Gothenburg vs. Grizzlys Wolfsburg
Group A; Frolundaborgs Isstadion, 20:00
Tonight's final game is very much a live event, as Wolfsburg head to Gothenburg on the back of their 6-1 humbling in Pardubice. The Grizzlys must win the game in overtime at least, to then go through to the next round. Pardubice will advance if Wolfsburg only get one point or less from the game, so there will be some anxious people watching back in the Czech Republic as well.
Par Johansson, assistant coach of the Frolunda Indians, said before tonight's game, "Wolfsburg is a team that works hard and plays a structured game. It was a tight game in Germany and we had problems finding our way to the goal."