Kärpät Oulu make the short flight across the Gulf of Bothnia to take on Skellefteå AIK in this battle of two northern giants. These are the top two teams in Group E and both have a chance to qualify for the next round. For Kärpät, a regulation win would clinch first place, and they would still qualify with any combination that keeps them four points clear of SC Bern. Meanwhile, Skellefteå could qualify with a win, provided they are at least three points clear of both Bern and Grenoble, so they’d have to wait until that game ends a bit later in the evening.

Skellefteå currently sit fifth in a very tight Swedish Hockey League. After winning five of their first seven games, their most recent outing was a 5-1 defeat in Örebo on Saturday. It’s no surprise that their top two scorers in both the SHL and CHL have been veterans Joakim Lindström and Oscar Möller, both former NHLers and KHLers. Domestically, Gustaf Lindvall has been the go-to guy in net, while in the CHL he’s split duties with Oskar Östlund – who backstopped Storhamar into the CHL playoffs twice.

Kärpät currently sit second in the Liiga standings with 22 points, seven back of runaway Tappara Tampere – the only team that’s beaten them so far. They Gameday 5 of the CHL on a three-game winning streak – all three of them shutouts. They’ve been alternating back and forth between 19-year-old Justus Annunen and 25-year-old Patrik Rybár in goal in both competitions. Offensively, Jesse Puljujärvi and Juho Lammiko each have eight points in the Liga (3+5), while linemate Otto Karvinen has five goals.