Who will host the Champions Hockey League Final on 9 February? Karpat Oulu are still the frontrunners, but it won't be decided until next Tuesday.
CHL News
With half of the Semi-Finals now complete, the picture is starting to become a little bit clearer as to who will host the Champions Hockey League Final on 9 February. However, we won't know for sure until Tuesday's second-leg games have been played.
The host of the Final is determined by which of the two finalists has accumulated more points over the course of the 2015–16 CHL season, including all 12 group-stage and playoff games. With 11 games played, here are how the four remaining teams stand:
| Team | GP | RW | OW | RT | OL | RL | Pts | GF | GA | Dif |
| Karpat Oulu | 11 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 31 | 11 | 20 |
| Frolunda Gothenburg | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 46 | 19 | 27 |
| HC Davos | 11 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 32 | 23 | 9 |
| Lukko Rauma | 11 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 30 | 24 | 6 |
If teams are tied on points, the next criterion is goal difference (goals for – goals against). As things stand now, there is no possibility that any further tie-breaking criteria will be needed. Of the four possible Final match-ups, three are clear-cut as to which team would host. There is only one that could go either way and, coincidentally, that is the most likely match-up at this point.
With both teams leading on aggregate score going into the second legs on home ice, Karpat Oulu and Frolunda Gothenburg are favourites to advance to the Final – particularly Frolunda, who have a 5-goal advantage over HC Davos. Karpat's lead of 1 over Lukko Rauma is a lot less comfortable.
But as we saw in last season's Eighth-Final between Lulea Hockey and Red Bull Salzburg, a 5-goal aggregate lead on home ice does not guarantee victory. Therefore, here are the four possible match-ups for the Final, starting with the most likely, and which team would host.
Karpat vs Frolunda
Karpat would host UNLESS they lose their second leg in regulation time by 1 goal, then win in overtime or shootout, AND Frolunda win their second leg in regulation time. In this case, they would be tied with 27 points each, and Frolunda would win the tie-breaker of better goal difference. If Karpat get at least a tie on home ice, or if Frolunda do no better than tie on home ice, the Final will be played in Oulu.
Karpat vs Davos
Karpat would host. If Davos advance it would be with 26 points, which is 1 less than Karpat currently have.
Frolunda vs Lukko
Frolunda would host. If Lukko advance it would be with 23 points, which is 1 less than Frolunda currently have.
Davos vs Lukko
Davos would host. If these two teams advance, Davos would have 26 points and Lukko 23.