- Both clubs have a combined 11 years of CHL experience and know what to expect in the competition
- A very tough Group E means each and every point counts - from the first game of the Group Stage to the last
- Both teams have had trouble making it to the latter rounds of the competition in recent years
The clash of five-time CHL participants Skellefteå AIK and six-time CHL participants SC Bern is a true clash of Titans. Despite never winning the CHL, both clubs have a proven track record in the competition – Skellefteå finished third in the inaugural 2014/15 season and Bern have made it as far as the Quarter-Finals on two occasions. Despite having so many years of CHL experience, the two clubs have never met in the competition until now.
Vincent Praplan and Mikko Koivisto are major additions to the Bern roster for 2019/20, whilst a large number of eyes will be watching the performances of top prospects Philip Broberg and Jacob Olofsson who joined Skellefteå in the summer. Former NHLer Thomas Pyatt also joins the club after a distinguished career in North America.
This game bears huge significance for both clubs, as it will most likely be between them and fellow Group E rivals Kärpät Oulu to advance to the latter stages of the competition. Group E has rightly been labelled a “group of death”, so every game, every point and every goal could make a difference at the end of the Group Stage. Both teams will be out there to win it on Game Day 1.