HC Lugano vs Adler Mannheim

Lugano entertain Mannheim in their final CHL game of the group stage knowing a point will get them through. A loss would see them reliant on Mannheim then beating Tappara, or else the group could still end in a three-way tie on six points each. For Mannheim, a loss tonight would mean a winner-takes-all showdown in Tampere on Sunday.

“We need only one point but we will not speculate. I want my team to have a winning mentality so we will play to win," affirmed coach Doug Shedden. "We must respect Mannheim – five of their players played last week for their national team to qualify for the Olympics, so they will bring positivity to the team. Key points will be to play smart as well as special teams.”  

"We were able to bounce back and beat Tappara," said Mannheim coach Sean Simpson, expressing confidence in his team. "This is the most difficult group of all, no question about it. In Mannheim, we had a super first period against Lugano. We need to keep that level for 60 minutes. It won't be easy but we have to try."

About having five of his players with the German national team this past weekend, he said, "It was not the ideal situation for us in preparation for this game. We missed those players and could only practice and play with three lines. But qualifying for the Olympics is always something special – they deserve it and my players had a key role in it, and they've brought this positive energy back."