Two teams from Norway advanced to the Round of 32 within a few minutes of each other – Stavanger and Storhamer – and they were joined by ERC Ingolstadt and Farjestad. Red Bull Salzburg advanced without playing, thanks to HV71's win over SonderjyskE.

Farjestad Karlstad 4–3 Dynamo Pardubice (OT)

HIGHLIGHTS

In Thursday's last game, Farjestad came from two goals down in the third period, tied the game with 20 seconds to go and won in overtime to secure a playoff berth. John Persson got the late equaliser and Milan Gulas scored the OT-winner on the power play to put Pardubice away. For Pardubice, who led in the third period of all three games they've played so far and twice conceded in the last minute, the fact that they have only 1 point at this stage is nearly incomprehensible.  

“We didn’t start too good but and we couldn’t seem to score, but in the third we came through and dominated. It feels good to have secured a playoff spot because I think we deserve it,” said Persson. On his goal tying goal, which put Farjestad through to the playoffs, he said, “We fought good during that last shift when we pulled the goalie and then I just took the puck to the slot and saw that the top corner was open for me to score in. It felt great!” 

When asked what coach Tommy Samuelsson told the team in the dressing room after 40 minutes, trailing by 2 goals, Persson explained, “He just told us to get back to our game plan and keep fighting until the end.”

Krefeld Pinguine 5–6 Vienna Capitals

HIGHLIGHTS

In a game where both teams had a chance to advance with a regulation win, both teams blew two-goal leads at different stages of the game, and Derek Whitmore's second of the game on the power play with 9:13 remaining to give the playoff spot to Vienna. Daniel Pietta opened the scoring for Krefeld, but Vienna fought back with 3 in a row before the game was 10 minutes old. Kefeld replied with four in a row, however, including 2 shorthanded goals on the same penalty, and it looked like they would go on. Vienna scored the game's last three goals, though, as momentum shifted once again. 

Krefeld forward Norman Hauner, who also scored 2 goals, figured that “We played great in the second period, and went into the last 20 with a lead but it didn't happen for us. We didn't do it on the penalty kill. We wanted to go to the next round, it's been a great experience but we wanted to get through and had the chances to do so.”

“This game had everything. A lot of penalties, goals. Both teams played a very physical type of hockey,” an emotional Whitmore marvelled when it was done. “With all the fans and enormous tension – it was like a playoff game. It’s a big win for us, we have shown a lot of character. We made a huge comeback, everybody is happy right now. It’s fun to play games like this, we enjoy it so much. We still have to play one more game against Karpat and we want to be as good as today. It is exciting to advance to the next round. Now we don’t know who we will be playing against, but it’s nice to be in playoffs.”

ERC Ingolstadt 5–3 Vaxjo Lakers

HIGHLIGHTS

Ingolstadt needed only a point on home ice to lock up a spot in the Round of 32, but they had their sights higher than that – they knew that they had a chance to take 1st place in Group O by winning their last two games in regulation, and getting the right goal difference, and they're halfway there. After a scoreless first period, there was a mad flurry of five goals in the second, with Vaxjo going up 2–1 but Ingolstadt leading 3–2 at the second intermission. Thomas Greilinger scored the eventual game-winner on the power play with 8:14 to to, Vaxjo captain Liam Reddox got one back, but an empty-netter in the dying seconds by Jared Ross, his 2nd goal of the game, gave Ingolstadt a goal that might become important if a head-to-head tiebreaker is needed for the group title.

After the game Ross said, “I think we played a very good game. We skated very well and worked very hard, so we frustrated them through that.”
 
“It was a close and fast-tempo game. We had good special teams tonight, but you also need a little bit of luck and today we earned the luck,” said Ingolstadt coach Manny Viveiros.
 
“We came up very good, but then we took too many penalties, so we gave away the momentum. They beat us at the special teams tonight,” figured Vaxjo coach Sam Hallam.

Storhamar Hamar 5–1 Geneve-Servette

HIGHLIGHTS

The Cinderella story of this year's Champions Hockey League, Storhamar continue their improbable run, winning their third game in a row to claim first place in Group M. They withstood early Geneve pressure and opened the scoring with 16 seconds left in the first period. They built up the lead to 4–0 in the second, much to the delight of the crowd of 5,335 – roughly 15 percent of Hamar's population! Alexander Reichenberg scored the first and last goals of the game, with Christian Larrivee, Hampus Gustafsson and Eirik Skadsdammen also contributing 2 points each. Geneve now need a regulation victory in Prague on Saturday in order to advance.

“It's hard to believe that I got two today, and we won 5–1,” Reichenberg said afterward in disbelief. “It's funny that this team, a group of great friends now, is going out and beating great teams. We have a great coach, good crowd here, we find a way to win and it's so amazing.”

“It wasn't a good game for us, they played well and we have to give them credit,” conceded Geneve forward Matt Lombardi. “They came out, had a disciplined game while we got frustrated. They just had more emotion than us, more drive, and wanted it more than we did. If we want to keep going in (the CHL) we have a chance to redeem ourselves in Prague. We need to play a lot better than we did tonight.”

Stavanger Oilers 3–0 KalPa Kuopio

HIGHLIGHTS

In a day that saw a bunch of new teams join the group of teams in the Round of 32, the Stavanger Oilers became one of two Norwegian clubs to do so by shutting out KalPa Kuopio on home ice. Stavanger held a wide edge in play but didn't open the scoring until a power-play goal in the 35th minute by Tommy Christiansen. Then Jonas Johansson added another power-play goal in the third and a late empty-netter by Dan Kissel, his 3rd point of the game, rounded out the scoring. Ruben Smith made 17 saves for the shutout.

SonderjyskE Vojens 1–2 HV71 Jonkoping

HIGHLIGHTS

Back on home ice, where they won their first CHL game of the year, SonderjyskE knew they needed at least a point to keep their hopes of advancing alive. They gave a great effort and even took the early lead, but in the end fell just a little bit short. Mads Lund opened the scoring in the 29th minute but former NHLer Jere Karalahti tied it on an HV71 power play late in the second period. Mathias Tedenby got credit for the winner in the 47th minute when his long wrister hit the leg of a SonderjyskE defender and went in the net. 

“It was a tougher game for us than Saturday,” acknowledged HV71 goalie Erik Ersberg, who stopped 22 or 23 SongerjyskE shots. “They played better on their own ice - it might have been because of the small ice size. But I think we controlled most of the game and won deservedly. Even though we didn't play our best we were the better team tonight. Now we are in the next round and can go on to Salzburg and use the game as preparation.”

“We skated better tonight than in Jonkoping,” said SonderjyskE coach Dan Ceman, comparing his team’s performance this game to Saturday’s. “And of course the small ice here in Vojens helped us make the neutral zone tighter. They had a lot of chances in the first, and especially the second period. We found some extra energy towards the end of the game and we were buzzing around their goal in the third period. I think the players should be proud of themselves and their effort tonight.”