Eight first leg matches tonight in the Champions Hockey League as the Round of 16 gets under way!

Bili Tygri Liberec vs. Vitkovice Ridera Ostrava

Home Credit Arena, 18:00

Referees: Kristijan Nikolic (AUT) & Marcus Vinneborg (SUI)

The all-Czech matchup between Liberec and Vitkovice takes place with the sides coming into the CHL in very different form. Liberec have been on a terrific run of late in the Extraliga, with five wins on the spin putting them inside the league’s top four. Vitkovice, who annihilated Nitra in the last round, sit 10th in the standings having won Sunday night but losing the previous two. The White Tigers were victorious when the sides met in Liberec last month in the league, 3-1.

“I believe it will be a good and attractive game for the fans, we will do our best to get into next round” commented Libered D-man Radim Simek. Jakub Petr, head coach of Vitkovice, added: "If you look at the lineup, it seems there are almost only juniors in our defence, but we believe them. It's a challenge for them. We all feel it's an international level game, even though there are two Czech clubs, and we will approach it as such.”

Kalpa Kupoio vs. Fribourg-Gotteron

Data Group Areena, 18:00

Referees: Oldřich Hejduk & Jan Hribik (CZE)

One of the top teams in Finland’s Liiga takes on a side struggling in the NLA in this tie. KalPa are on a run of two wins in their own league and only four points off Tappara at the top. Fribourg on the other hand are one above last in Switzerland’s top flight, suffering two losses in a row of late. Their CHL form however gives reason for optimism, having beaten win a group over Munich and beaten Kosice in the last round.

“We are starting the series in front of our home crowd, and I think that it’s only a good thing. Our opponents will be tough, they have a lot of personal skill and they have pretty good power play, so we need to be aware of that,” said KalPa coach Sami Kapanen. “The atmosphere in the locker room is good – we’ve had a strong start in Liiga and the CHL, and now we are playing for a top-eight place in Europe, which is a big thing for us.”

SaiPa vs. Vaxjo Lakers

Kisapuisto, 18:00

Referees: Daniel Konc (SVK) & Ladislav Smetana (AUT)

SaiPa are another team whose record in the CHL this season is in contrast to their own league record. After winning for the first time in three games over the weekend against TPS in a shootout, they head into this this tie off the back of a victory, having comfortably beaten Liiga leaders Tappara in the Round of 32 to make it this far. Vaxjo are on a run of three straight wins in the SHL, and were narrow winners over Munich in the last round of this competition.

They have lot of skilled players, many of whom we know from Finnish Liiga. We expect them to play typical Swedish hockey: a lot of speed and skill,” commented SaiPa assistant coach Tuomo Ropo. “Vaxjo had good results last week in the SHL, winning all of their three games, so we have to be ready from the beginning.”

“SaiPa knocked out Tappara in the CHL and have beaten IFK Helsinki in their league so we’re coming up against a good team,” added Lakers’ head coach Sam Hallam. “We’ve never made the Quarter-Finals so it’s a good challenge for us to take on. We have to continue working and concentrate on every detail – sometimes it’s the small things that can make the difference.”

Eisbaren Berlin vs. Frolunda Gothenburg

Mercedes Benz Arena, 19:30

Referees: Anssi Kalevi Salonen & Antti Boman (FIN)

The Eisbaren have been indifferent of late in the DEL, winning Sunday night but with a few losses over the past couple of match days and having dropped to seventh in the table. They are the only German team left in the CHL, and overcame Zug with home and away wins in the last round. Defending champions Frolunda are second in the SHL currently, having only lost one of their last six domestically. They are, however, susceptible to a first leg defeat – needing to overcome a deficit to beat Minsk in the last round and having trailed from the first leg in five of their eight CHL playoff games overall.

“Of course we know the calibre of team that we’re coming up against tomorrow,” admitted Berlin Coach Uwe Krupp. “Frolunda are a powerhouse of Swedish hockey and the defending champions of the CHL. I think we all know who are the favourites to win, but that means we can concentrate fully on our own game. We’ve got to be ready to put pressure on them and fore-check hard – something that’s a bit different for us compared to DEL games.”

“Berlin plays like Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg and we have to adjust our way of playing according to that. We have to find ways out of our own zone as they will pressure us high,” added Frolunda assistant coach Par Johansson.

Sparta Prague vs. HV71 Jonkoping

O2 Arena, 19:30

Referees: Alessandro Dipietro (SUI) & Aaro Brännare (FIN)

Sparta Prague entertain HV71 after that dramatic overtime win in Oulu to knock out Karpat in the Round of 32. Two straight Extraliga losses, however, have seen Sparta drop to seventh overall. HV71 are another team in indifferent form in their own league as they sit fifth in the SHL. The Swedes won both games against Lukko Rauma in the Last 32 of the CHL to get this far.

“We have nothing to be afraid of. We managed to defeat other strong teams throughout last two seasons, and this year we also eliminated Karpat, considered to be one of the best teams in Europe,” said a confident Michal Barinka. “We want to go into the Quarter-Finals and to do so, we have to do well in the first game at home on Tuesday.”

HC Lugano vs. ZSC Lions Zurich

Resega, 19:45

Referees: Andreas Harnebring & Linus Öhlund (SWE)

Switzerland are guaranteed one team at least in the Quarter-Finals thanks to this matchup between Lugano and ZSC. Lugano’s path this far has seen them win in Tappara, Mannheim, and Pilsen to get this far. ZSC, meanwhile, comfortably eliminated Wolfsburg in the last round after coming through the group stage unbeaten. Despite having led the NLA for most of the early season, ZSC have been a bit indifferent of late – Saturday’s shootout win in Kloten their first win in three. Lugano, meanwhile, have lost their last two NLA matches.

The teams have played one game in the NLA so far this season, ZSC winning a home game 4-1.

“It'll be a great test against Zurich; they're a great team in our league who we know very well, so it'll be interesting," commented head coach Doug Shedden.

SC Bern vs. JYP Jyvaskyla

PostFinance Arena, 19:45

Referees: Peter Gebei (HUN) & Vladimir Pesina (CZE)

SC Bern are hot heading into the last 16 of the CHL, with five wins in a row in the NLA having moved them well up the table into second. The team have also cruised through the CHL so far with only one draw stopping an otherwise perfect record – however, JYP will be their first real test after facing opposition from Austria and Slovakia to date. The Finns have won their last two Liiga matches to just sneak into the top ten there, however in the CHL they’ve been a bit hot and cold – eliminating Skelleftea 6-4 in the last round but losing the return leg, and having lost both games to Linkoping in the group stage while beating Rouen.

“JYP might not be so well known, but they’re a top team, and I’m expecting they’ll put us under a lot of pressure even in our arena,” confessed SCB netminder Leonardo Genoni. “At this stage of the tournament you only come up against good teams. I’ve loved the CHL so far, and the trips to away matches have strengthened our team spirit too.”

Linkoping HC vs. IFK Helsinki

Saab Arena, 20:00

Referees: Robert Hallin (NOR) & Danny Kurmann (SUI)

Linkoping’s SHL form hasn’t been great although they did win last time out over Lulea – but in the CHL they’ve seen off JYP and, notably in the last round, HC Davos 9-7 on aggregate to get this far. They come up against an IFK Helsinki side who were unbeaten in three in the Liiga before losing over the weekend – IFK’s shootout win over TPS saw them through to this stage.

“We played against Linkoping HC in the group stage last season and lost both games,” recalled IFK Head Coach Antti Tormanen. “We go head-to-head against a quality team and we are excited about this challenge. Linkoping HC has had some difficulties early on in the SHL season, but I expect them to be at their best on Tuesday night.”