ZSC Lions Zurich will play host to Champions Hockey League newcomers Rögle Ängelholm to begin their Round of 16. With several seasons of CHL experience, the team from Switzerland’s largest city understand what it takes to be successful beyond the Group Stage, having qualified for the Playoffs in four of their previous five seasons and made it to the Quarter-Finals twice. But what Rögle lack in experience, they make up for in youth and talent. With some of the youngest players in the CHL lacing up for the Swedish side, the visitors, whose average age is 24-years-old compared to Zurich’s average of 28-years-old, hold an advantage that cannot be taught.

Rögle are currently riding a two-game winning streak, having scored 11 goals – four of which came on the powerplay – in that span while only allowing a combined five tallies. Regarding their powerplay numbers, the Swedes have been outstanding as they’ve managed to convert on 50% of their opportunities to lead the CHL in PP%. Zurich, however, have been more than serviceable on the PK and are tied for seventh league-wide. Both sides possess some of the stingier defences in the CHL, with Zurich’s putting up slightly better numbers, as they’ve allowed 12 goals to Rogle’s 14.

For the Swiss, success will come as long as they stay out of the box and maintain their defensive play. Zurich’s netminders, Lukas Flüeler and Ludovic Waeber, each with a shutout, will also need to be at the top of their game. To ensure their advancement to the next Round, the Swedes will need to be better on the penalty kill, which currently sits at 25th and they’ll need to continue deploying their young stars, including Marco Kasper and Ludvig Larsson, to their advantage against a more experienced Swiss side.