Read below for information about the eighth-final series between Red Bull Salzburg and Luleå Hockey. Luleå won 10–9 on aggregate to advance to the quarter-finals.

Game 2

It was an absolutely wild game in Salzburg. Red Bull carried a two-goal advantage into their home half of the series and, when they scored three goals in the first 11 minutes of the game to take a five-goal aggregate lead, it looked like they had their ticket to the quarter-finals punched. However, Lulea rattled off six goals in a row – five in the second period and one midway through the third – to actually take the lead. Thomas Raffl scored his second goal of the game with 1:55 to play to send the series to overtime and then a shootout, but it was Lulea who prevailed, as Nicklas Fogstrom scored the shootout-winner to secure his hat-trick. 

"We played five very good periods against Luleå Hockey but the one catastrophic period was ultimately our undoing," Salzburg captain Matthias Trattnig summized afterward for the club's website. "But that's what makes a good Champions League team. For sure we were able to score goals easily enough, but the complete breakdown in the second period is inexplicable. You're not going to win championships playing like that."

READ the live blog here | WATCH the highlights here

Fogstrom & Lassinantti describe amazing Lulea comeback

Game 1

Lulea out-shot Salzburg 33–17 in the game, including 16–6 in the third period, but it wa Salzburg that got the 4–2 road win and now have a two-goal advantage heading into their home half of this series. Red Bull had leads of 3–0 and 4–1, but Lulea twice cut the deficit to two, with three goals coming in a 2:39 span in the middle of the second period. Ben Walter, Brett Sterling and Zdenek Kutlak had two-goal performances for Salzburg, while Cramo Top Scorer Lucas Wallmark, Daniel Zaar and Marcus Faggerud all figured in on both Lulea goals. 

"I think that they were much better than us in the first and second periods," said Lulea forward Per Ledin. "They played with more speed and put on a lot of pressure while we were making it too difficult for ourselves. We woke up in the third period and did what we should, but it was too late against a competent and high-quality team like Salzburg. The only way to beat a team like that is to work harder than them."

Salzburg coach Dan Ratushny downplayed his team's accomplishment. "It was not our best game, but our goalie was very strong today. We're happy with the result. Lulea will give everything next week."

READ the live blog here | WATCH the highlights here

1-game suspension for Chris Abbott

Preview

Casual observers might feel a bit sorry for Red Bull Salzburg – they produced some fine displays to win their group, and then drew arguably one of the most dominant teams in the group stage in Luleå – and an opponent located over 2050 km away. Meanwhile, the Swedish club will be mindful that Salzburg already beat SHL side HV71 in both of their group stage games, a team that Luleå themselves beat 2–1 earlier this month.

Closer look: Red Bull Salzburg

(5-0-0-1, 15 points, 23:8, 1st in Group I)

Taking 15 points out of 18 in a group containing teams from the SHL, Liiga, and NLA was some feat for the club from Mozart’s birth town. Their only loss came in Jyväskylä, but they were outstanding at home, winning all three games by a combined score of 14–2. Salzburg led the EBEL early on, and now sit in second place behind fellow CHL club Vienna.

Matthias

Trattnig

2+6, +3

 

CRAMO Top Scorer: Matthias Trattnig, who in his early career spent two years in Sweden and a season in the AHL and can play both forward and defence, scored two goals and six assists in the group stage of the CHL. Salzburg also have four players among the top 10 EBEL scorers: Ryan Duncan, Brett Sterling, Thomas Raffl and John Hughes.

 

Brian

Fahey

3+2, +2

 

Top Defenceman: Salzburg have plenty of firepower from the back end, particularly Brian Fahey, who fired home five points in six CHL games and is almost a point-per-game in EBEL action as well.

 

Luka

Gracnar

96.58 %

 

Top Goaltender: Luka Gracnar stopped 96.58% of all shots he faced in the CHL group stage – the third highestpercentage in the competition. Only conceding eight goals in six CHL games was the building block to Salzburg’s success.

 

Click here for team statistics.

Closer look: Luleå Hockey

(5-0-0-1, 15 points, 32:6, 2nd in Group K)

Group K was a pretty simple affair for Luleå, who finished tied in points with Lukko Rauma – 15 each in six games. Luleå qualified as the best second-place team, having missed out on top spot in the group due to the head-to-head goal difference against the Finnish club. Their 10–1 victory in Nottingham was the highest win of the entire group stage, which they finished by only conceding six goals and scoring 32. Luleå started strong in the SHL but are now in a log-jam with a bunch of other teams in the middle of the standings, so they'll hope it's their CHL form that rises to the forefront against Salzburg.

Lucas

Wallmark

5+2, +5

 

CRAMO Top Scorer: Junior Lucas Wallmark, who got his big break at the World Junior Championship last season, is Luleå's top scorer so far. At last year’s WJC he scored eight points, and has nine in the CHL to date. In both the SHL and CHL this season his line with Daniel Zaar and Per Ledin has been outstanding.

 

Kristian

Näkyvä

1+3, +7

 

Top Defenceman: Finnish d-man Kristian Näkyvä has been impressive so far in his first season in Sweden, and said in an interview that the Swedish style of play suits his game. He put up four points in six CHL games and has been in fine form in the SHL as well.

 

Joel

Lassinantti

94.59 %

 

Top Goaltender: Joel Lassinantti only played two games in the CHL, but saved 94.59% of the shots he faced. In the SHL, the 21-year-old has established himself as Lulea's starter which, considering he spent all of last season on loan in the Allsvenskan, is no small feat.

 

Click here for team statistics.

Related Links

03.11.2014 – Video: Salzburg's Komarek & Raffl look forward to Luleå

09.10.2014 – Interview: Luleå d-man Näkyvä says Swedish style "suits me very well"

31.08.2014 – Interview: Return to Jonköping was "a fun game all around" for Salzburg's Brett Sterling