Ilves Tampere head to the German coast on Tuesday night to take on Pinguins Bremerhaven in the opening game of their Round of 16 match-up. It’s a meeting between two teams that took very different paths through the Regular Season: Ilves marched through theirs unbeaten, while Bremerhaven showed flashes of quality amid a mixed campaign.

The Pinguins’ six-game run was a rollercoaster of highs and lows. They opened with an overtime victory against ZSC Lions Zurich before narrowly falling in Salzburg, then endured a wild 5-8 home loss to Grenoble that highlighted both their attacking potential and defensive fragility. A shootout win over Lukko Rauma steadied their campaign, followed by a statement 2-0 home victory over Luleå Hockey. Although their run ended with a narrow defeat in Hamar, the Pinguins showed they can go toe-to-toe with some of Europe’s toughest sides when they find their rhythm.

Leading the way for the German club is veteran forward Jan Urbas, who made the Team of the Regular Season with eight points from six games, including six goals. His chemistry with Žiga Jeglič has been the engine of Bremerhaven’s offence, while Nicholas B. Jensen and Phillip Bruggisser anchor the defence with smart puck movement. Goaltender Kristers Gudļevskis has offered consistency with a 91% save percentage, and his performance will be vital against the most in-form team of the competition

That team is Ilves – the first-ever team to complete the Regular Season with a perfect 6-0 record and a full 18 points in the current format. The Finns have combined defensive structure with attacking confidence, scoring 24 goals and conceding just seven. Matias Mäntykivi and Jens Lööke lead a well-balanced forward group, while Radek Kučeřík and Otto Latvala have impressed on the back end. Between the pipes, Roope Taponen (97.1 SVS%) and Dominik Pavlát (92.4 SVS%) have formed arguably the top goaltending tandem in the CHL.

Ilves also boast a 100% penalty kill - a testament to their discipline and cohesion - while Bremerhaven have relied on opportunism and offensive bursts to stay competitive. Tuesday’s meeting will test whether Ilves’ efficiency can withstand the energy of a German rink, or if the Pinguins can once again turn home ice into their advantage.