Three games tonight in the Champions Hockey League as Bern look to cement qualification, while Pilsen, Kosice, Nitra, and Lukko Rauma all search for points to stay in the race for the Round of 32.
HC Pilsen vs. HK Nitra
Group J; Home Monitoring Arena, 17:00
After losing the reverse match-up last week in Nitra, Pilsen play their first CHL home game tonight, hoping to avenge the aforementioned defeat. More importantly, with there currently a three-way tie for top spot in the group, both sides will be looking to gain a foothold in the standings.
"We're looking forward to this game and our only goal is to win it," said Pilsen defencemen Peter Ceresnak ahead of the game. "We need to avoid mistakes we made in the previous game in Nitra. They were mostly in our defensive game and we gave them too much space."
Dusan Miro, Nitra's former defenceman turned assistant coach, added: "We want to get some points in Pilsen but it looks like the decisive game will be the last one against Stavanger."
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ZSC Lions vs. Lukko Rauma
Group D; Hallenstadion Zurich, 19:45
With ZSC already through to the next round, Lukko Rauma arrive in Zurich currently in the last qualification spot in the group by virtue of their one point over Ingolstadt's 0. While those two sides will meet in the coming week, any points for Lukko tonight will move them closer to the next round.
SC Bern vs. HC Kosice
Group M; Postfinance Arena, 19:45
Currently sitting top of the group with a perfect record, SC Bern also have the advantage of playing their two remaining games at home. A point confirms Bern as not only qualified but group winners – while Linz will have to better Kosice's result in Bern tonight to stand any chance of qualifying – unless of course the Slovaks win in regulation, in which case the Black Wings could only force a three-way tie in the group at best.
"We were not pleased with our last exhibition game at home against EV Zug, and now we've had 10 days with no game. So there are two goals against HC Kosice on Saturday: first, we definitley want to make the CHL playoffs, and second, we want to play well in front of our fans," says Andrew Ebbet of Bern. "We had pretty good games and won in Kosice and Linz. It’s now time to build on those performances. And we are looking forward to having our new Canadian Kris Versteeg in the lineup tonight."