Game Day 2 of the 2015–16 Champions Hockey league starts Saturday will 11 games in action. We preview them all to give you the low-down on what's happing today across Europe!

Staff Writers

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Lulea Hockey vs. Lukko Rauma

Group K; Coop Norrbotten Arena, 15:00

Two sides that know rather a lot about each other meet in Lulea this afternoon for another CHL encounter. These teams played each other in last year’s group stage, and then again in the quarter-finals; and despite the honours being shared with a home win each in round one, Lulea won both games in the quarters to advance.

If that wasn’t enough, Lulea’s Ilari Melart also knows a thing or two about teams from the Liiga! “I’ve played against Lukko a lot, they’ve got probably the best goalie in the league and are a good team. It’ll be a physical game, but a good one.” said the defenceman. “Teams from Finland are prepared, and it seems like they want to make it to the finals this season. We need to skate hard, score some goals, get some screens in front of the goalie.”

Eisbaren Berlin vs. ZSC Lions Zurich

Group P; Mercedes Benz Arena, 16:00

What a game this could turn out to be in Berlin, with the Eisbaren making their 15–16 CHL debut against the Swiss champions. ZSC come into this game off the back of a tight 5–4 win in Grenoble, knowing a win would put them in a very good position in the group.

Eisbaren coach Uwe Krupp has an unusual insight into what to expect from the Lions’ team, having played under their coach in the NHL. “I know Marc Crawford well, having won a Stanley Cup with him, and they'll put us under a lot of pressure. They're a good team with some very talented offensive players especially. They play very responsibly, and we'll need to skate with them,” says Krupp. “The last four week have seen the guys work very hard, and we've also had good training sessions and a couple of decent warm-up games with the tournament in Dresden. We've had a look at Zurich during their game in Grenoble, so we know a bit about them.”

KalPa Kuopio vs. Ocelari Trinec

Group L; Kuopion Jaahalli, 16:00

Not many people would have predicted that Trinec could be bottom of their group after the first two games, but that’s what will happen if they go down in Kuopio tonight. Having lost in Stavanger, the trip to Finland sees the Czech side needing to bounce back against a home team that have certainly done their homework. “Czech teams are known as skilled teams so our way of playing (puck control) is going to be huge tonight,” says Joonas Lyytinen. “The more we have puck control then, of course, the less their skilled players have it. It’s definitely going to be an interesting game like always in these international games. I’m looking forward to these games.”

Trinec suffered a very disappointing loss in Stavanger on the opening day of the CHL, and another loss on the road could hurt them in their push for the next round. “The ice will be bigger than the surface in Stavanger for sure – that was probably the smallest ice I have ever played on,” said Trinec captain Rostislav Klesla. “The Finns will of course be good skaters, strong on the puck, with great tactics and detailed systems. We will have to play much better than the first game though if we want to succeed in Kuopio.”

JYP Jyvaskyla vs. Sheffield Steelers

Group N; Synergia-Areena, 16:00

Sheffield’s CHL debut continues to be tough, as they now travel to Finland after a 9–1 beating in Sweden. JYP have decent CHL pedigree, but Steelers’ coach Paul Thompson wants his players to cut out silly penalties when his side hit the ice in Jyvaskyla. “I'm hoping to see a real response in JYP,” said the former Great Britain coach. “The guys are disappointed with the result on Thursday, but there effort was definitely there. JYP are a similar sort of fast-skating team, so we have to be smarter and stay out of the box.”

EV Zug vs. Tappara Tampere

Group B: Bossard Arena, 17:00

Following a great win in Stockholm over Djurgarden, Tappara Tampere are on the road again tonight in Zug, Switzerland. Captain Jukka Peltola’s side got off to a great start to lead the group, but knows his team can’t rest on their laurels tonight. “We started with a win in Sweden, but now we have a totally new challenge in Zug. They have lots of quality players on their roster, and their style of play probably is a little different from ours. We have to focus on our own game and stay out of the penalty box better than in the opening game” he told us.

Against this high quality opponent we have to by ready from the off,” says Zug head coach Harold Kreis. “We had two good warm-up games (in Sursee) and showed that we’re doing a lot of positive things.”

Dynamo Pardubice vs. HC Davos

Group E; Tipsport Arena, 18:30

After a good win over Farjestad Karlstad on the opening day, Davos head to Pardubice in a decent position in Group E. Should the Swiss side return from the road trip undefeated, they would most certainly be in the driving seat for making the next round.

However one weapon Pardubice have in their side is Petr Sykora, who himself if a former Davos player. “Davos is one of the most successful teams not only in the Swiss league, but also in Europe for a long time. They’re a perfect team,” says Sykora who will know a thing or two about today’s opposition. “I was there with some great players and we were coached by Arno Del Curto, who is a brilliant coach. He has a crucial impact on the team’s success. He’s very strict, but he can be a good friend and help you out if you need him. He is a unique person. It’s start of the season. We have to begin in a way we want to play now.”

HV71 Jonkoping vs. Red Bull Salzburg

Group C; Kinnarps Arena, 19:00

Salzburg's surprising loss in in Vojens on the opening day puts them in a slightly worse position than they'd have perhaps expected as they head to Jonkoping to face HV71. Both sides took part in the competition last year, and met each other in the group stage – with Salzburg winning both games, 3–1 at home and 5–3 in Sweden. “We need to find quick answers,” says Red Bulls coach Daniel Ratushny. “We we're not effective enough in front of the net (in Denmark), and didn't get on the rebounds.”

Forward Thomas Raffl added, “We have to learn from the game (on Thursday). We have a quality team, but need to quickly bring that to the ice and play better in Jonkoping.”

Dusseldorfer EG vs. Black Wings Linz

Group G; ISS Dome, 19:30

Linz’s CHL adventure didn’t get off to the best of starts, as they were beaten 6–1 in Turku by TPS. They now head to Dusseldorf to face another club making their debut in the Champions Hockey League, and it’ll be a great crowd to see it!

“Dusseldorf can't wait to have the Champions Hockey League in town,” says head coach Christof Kreutzer. “We are going to welcome 6000 fans  to each game. That really makes me proud of my hometown. Welcome to Dusseldorf!”

Vienna Capitals vs. Karpat Oulu

Group J; Albert-Schultz Eishalle, 19:30

Vienna had a great time in the CHL last season, making the knock-out round after winning a group with opposition from both the SHL and NLA before finally getting knocked out by Karpat in the round of 16, so they will be out for revenge today. For Karpat, who went to the CHL semi-finals and won the Finnish Liiga, this is their second game this season after a 2–0 road win in Krefeld. Vienna were strong at home in the CHL last year, and reached their own domestic league finals last season, so this could be an exciting encounter.

ERC Ingolstadt vs. Braehead Clan

Group O; Saturn Arena, 19:30

Following their 10–2 defeat in Sweden on the opening day, the Braehead Clan move on to Germany where Ingolstadt await them for their CHL opener. With a loss already on the Clan’s scorecard, a win for the home team would already give them an advantage in trying to reach the next round. “Of course we have seen and read about Braehead’s first game in Vaxjo. I think this does not at all reflect how they are able to play,” said Ingolstadt defenceman Benedikt Schopper. “We have got to come out hard and be aggressive in the fore-check like our team is used to playing. This should put us in a position to beat them.”

Stefan Meyer, who scored both of the Clan’s goals in Vaxjo, knows his side have to dust themselves off and be ready for the DEL side. “We weren’t great in Vaxjo, but we have to be better and work harder on the puck. The game was an eye-opener, and it’s going to improve us as a team. We have to be men and move forward, it’s our job as professionals to pick ourselves up and be ready for the next game,” he told the club’s website.

Geneve-Servette vs. Sparta Prague

Group M; Patinoire des Vernets, 19:45

Sparta Prague came through a tough trip to Norway with maximum points – however, they were made to work very hard for them against Storhamar Hamar. Now they face a trip to Geneva, who will play their first game in the CHL this season.

“The travelling is not pleasant, but it’s nothing we can’t cope with. It’s just a part of it and I personally am used to much worse from the KHL,” says forward Tomas Netik, who scored the game's opening goal in Hamar. “It will be important to prepare ourselves well during the two practices we have in Geneva and give our best performance. I believe we can get some points.”