- Berlin have seen a resurgence, need consistency in net
- Salzburg's top talent needs to regain their spark
- Will be the second meeting between the two clubs
It was a tough night for Red Bull Salzburg who lost their third contest and second in as many games to the Växjö Lakers back on Game Day 4 of the Champions Hockey League. Eisbären Berlin, however, found themselves with three more points in the standings after they took down Herning Blue Fox. Who will come out on top when the duo clash on Game Day 5?
Berlin's bad start has become something of a distant memory as they've now claimed two straight victories where they've netted six goals while only allowing two throughout the two fixtures. Despite still being among the lower echelons on the defensive metrics, the Germans' defensive improvement is noteworthy, especially given their continued struggles on offence. But where they've really began to catch fire is with the play between the pipes - both Jack LaFontaine and Jonas Neffin played spectacularly in their previous starts and if either can reclaim that same form, look for Berlin to have a fighting chance of securing their third straight victory.
Salzburg, on the other hand, continue to struggle and that struggle doesn't seem to be getting any better. After allowing a combined 11 tallies against while only securing three of their own over the past two contests, the Austrians are in dire need of a new direction. Fortunately, veteran players Peter Schneider and Mario Huber haven't lost a step, but for Salzburg to have a chance, they'll need more production across the line-up. That means getting the likes of proven scorers like Michael Raffl, Thomas Raffl, and Benjamin Nissner on the scoresheet if they hope to get back in the win column.