Red Bull Salzburg and HC Bolzano have already qualified for spots in the Round of 16. These last two head-to-head meetings – this week in northwestern Austria and next week in northern Italy – will determine who finishes first and second in Group H.

To that end, Salzburg have a decided advantage, having taken the maximum 12 points from their first four games, having outscored Frisk Asker and JKH GKS Jastrzębie 16-5.

Bolzano have taken nine points after dropping points to both opponents and therefore have the difficult task of needing five of six points against Salzburg to win the group.

Salzburg’s Ty Loney has been one of the CHL’s top producers so far, his four goals and seven points ranking him tied for second in both categories, respectively. He’s followed closely by Peter Schneider, while domestically it’s defenceman T.J. Brennan that leads the team with nine points in six games. Goaltender Nicholas Weiser has played in almost all of the team’s games in both competitions.

Bolzano is led in the CHL by Brett Findlay and Mathew Maione with four points each, and in the ICEHL by Dustin Gazley with five points in five games. In goal, Kevin Boyle and Italian national team netminder Justin Fazio have split the duties in both competitions.

Both of these teams compete in the ICEHL and they are currently neck-and-neck in the standings, tied for third with 11 points each, although Bolzano hold a game in hand. Salzburg come into this game hot, winners of three straight, most recently 3-0 over first-place Fehérvár AV19 on Saturday. For their part, Bolzano have won two straight, most recently 4-3 at Linz on Friday.

In ICEHL action they have met head-to-head once so far. On 19 September in Salzburg, Fazio posted a 35-save shutout and Gazley scored twice and in the last five minutes as Bolzano won 3-0 on the road. They will try for a repeat performance on Tuesday night.