EVZ had a pretty good Group Stage campaign, winning through Group D with an overtime loss at home to Neman Grodno the only blot on their copybook. They won the group thanks in no small part to a late comeback in Brno on Game Day 5, LGT Top Scorer Lino Martschini coming up trumps that day as he posted 4+4 over the six Group Stage games. Netminding duties have been split equally between Sandro Aeschlimann and Tobias Stephan, the pair saving 92.32% and 92.21% of shots respectively. The Swiss left the competition at this stage last year at the hands of Kometa Brno, but did beat German opposition in the form of Eisbären Berlin home and away in their group.

Red Bull Munich come into the CHL playoffs having finished as runners up in Group B, losing to Malmö on the last day to surrender top spot. Trevor Parks leads the teams in goals with six and points overall with eight. In net, Danny Aus den Birken stopped 90.91% of the shots he faced over four games. The Red Bulls have made the first playoff round in each of their two previous CHL appearances, going out in the Round of 32 to Växjö two years ago and last year exiting to SC Bern despite winning the first game in Switzerland.