With the Växjö Lakers already through to the next round, Bílí Tygři Liberec and HC Davos will play twice to determine the other qualifier from Group E. Starting with a three-point head-start, Liberec need just 2 points from the two games to advance, while Davos need five. Therefore, Liberec can advance with a win on home ice, while all Davos can do is win to preserve their chances for next week.
Since their last CHL action, neither team has really set its domestic league on fire, with Davos sitting 7th in the Swiss National League and Liberec 10th in the Czech Extraliga. On Saturday on home ice, Davos ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-0 shutout of Fribourg-Gottéron, in which Joren van Pettelberghe made 24 saves for the shutout. Likewise, Liberec ended a three-game skid with a 4-1 home-ice win over Dynamo Pardubice on Sunday.
The Liberec team has been battling injuries, with five players out of the lineup recently, although forwards Milan Bartovič and Jaroslav Vlach returned to play on Sunday and defenceman Ladislav Šmíd a possibility for Tuesday. Captain Petr Jelínek believes a return to CHL action will help them get back on track.
“I believe it will help us,” the captain said after Sunday’s win. “Looking back to last season, we beat Färjestad at home and then we went on a 13-game winning streak. If nothing else, we'll stay in full swing.”
These teams do have a CHL history with each other, having met in the Round of 16 two years ago. Davos won both games by an aggregate score of 9-6, en route to an eventual Semi-Final berth.