German outfit Grizzlys Wolfsburg will be suiting up against former Champions Hockey League Champions Luleå Hockey as the Round of 16 gets underway. The Swedes hold the slight edge in Playoff experience with three appearances to Wolfsburg’s one, but the Germans come into the First Game of their two-game series with the home-ice advantage. Neither side have faced each other during their respective CHL tenures, so preparation will be key for both clubs.
- Wolfsburg hold the advantage in special team play
- Both clubs have players in the Top 10 in scoring
- Luleå's goaltending has been solid so far
The Swedes and the Germans have had no trouble when it comes to production, with each having a player in the Top 10 in scoring. Luleå’s Isac Brännström and Wolfsburg’s Luis Schinko are currently tied with eight points each – Brännström has secured four goals and four helpers for eight points, while Schinko has potted three goals and assisted on five others.
Goaltending-wise, again, both clubs present strong candidates but it’s Luleå’s 1.83 goals against per game, which is tied for third, that holds the advantage as both netminders have put up above-average numbers, spearheaded by Matteus Ward’s 92.55 SV% and 1.73 GAA. In the opposing crease, Wolfsburg’s Dustin Strahlmeier and Justin Pogge have each played 180 minutes of hockey, however, Strahlmeier has been a bit better, posting a 93.46 SV% to go along with a 2.33 GAA.
Through six games, Wolfsburg have a 2-1 record at home where they’ve scored a combined 14 goals while also letting in 14. They finished the Group Stage with 13 points, four behind EV Zug for Group B's top place and only suffered one regulation loss. Out of three CHL appearances, this will be the German's second postseason qualification. The last time they made it past the Group Stage, Wolfsburg were ousted by Swiss side ZSC Lions Zurich by a 9-3 aggregate score.
Luleå closed out their Group Stage performance with a 2-1 OT victory over the Aalborg Pirates and finished at the top of Group A with 17 points. The Swedish side has yet to lose on the road and has won two games by at least a two-goal margin, notching 11 goals for while only allowing five against. In their last Playoff run, Luleå advanced all the way to the Semi-Finals where they were narrowly edged out by Frölunda Gothenburg by a 5-4 aggregate score.
Coming into this series, special teams could play a deciding factor, as Wolfsburg’s third-ranked powerplay (27.78%) and ninth-ranked penalty kill (87.50%) could pose a threat to the Swedes' who are ranked 19th (15.38%) on the man-advantage while operating at 85.71% on the penalty kill.
But for all their CHL success, the Germans are having a rough go at it in the DEL, while Luleå are hovering around sixth place in the SHL.
With both clubs boasting respectable numbers across the board, this two-game series showcases a team that has excelled at special teams versus a team that is hard to score against, where mistakes matter and how each squad responds could prove to be the difference in the end.