Russian KHL referees enter CHL as part of IIHF’s Referee Exchange Program

Press Release

The Champions Hockey League is entering its decisive Group Stage phase with 30 out of 44 clubs in the race for the 16 playoff positions.

With four out of six group stage rounds in the books, Game Day 5 will be played on 23 and 24 September, with 15 games on Tuesday and seven games on Wednesday.

The 11 group winners and the five best second-place teams will advance to the 1/8 finals to be played on 4 November and 11 November. Alternative dates for some games may apply.

The last, sixth, round of group stage games will be played on 7 October (18 games) and 8 October (4 games).

Check the Game Day 5 schedule and TV listings here (select your region).

Click here for the standings in the eleven Champions Hockey League groups.

For the first time during the CHL group stage, Russian referees from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) will officiate games in the Champions Hockey League, this as part of the IIHF’s Referee Exchange Program being integrated into the CHL.

Click here for the Game Officials’ assignments for Game Days 5 and 6.

The Groups with the most open playoff races:

Group A: 1. Kärpät (FIN) 8pts, 2. Köln (GER) 7pts, 3. Liberec (CZE) 6pts.
Group C: 1. Frölunda (SWE) 9pts, 2. Genève (SUI) 9pts, 3. Villach (AUT) 6pts.
Group D: 1. Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI) 8pts, 2. Zlin (CZE) 7pts, 3. Djurgården (SWE) 6pts.
Group E: 1. Trinec (CZE) 9pts, 2. Tappara (FIN), 3. Stavanger (NOR) 4. Bern (SUI), all 5pts
Group G: 1. Sparta (CZE) 8pts, 2. KalPa (FIN) 7pts, 3. Växjö (SWE) 6pts
Group I: 1. Salzburg (AUT) 9pts, 2. JYP Jyväskylä (FIN) 8pts, 3. HV71 (SWE) 6pts

Head-to-head results in mutual home and away games are the first tie-breaker if two teams have the same number of points, followed by goal difference and more goals scored.

Click here for a story on championshockeyleague.net which has calculated the winning percentages of the 11 leagues participating in the CHL.

Playoff dates (alternative dates for 1/8 Final, QF and SF may apply)

1/8 Final: 4 & 11 November
Quarter-Final: 2 & 9 December
Semi-Final: 13 & 20 January
Final: 3 February (at home of the team with the best group stage + playoff record of the two finalists)

The date and place for the CHL Playoff Draw will be announced after Game Day 5.