Eisbären Berlin and Skellefteå AIK must make some adjustments entering Sunday’s match-up if they have any hopes of making the Playoffs.

Both clubs, who haven’t faced each other in Champions Hockey League competition since the 2015/16 campaign where Skellefteå bested Berlin in the Round of 16, were routed by their opening day opponents in convincing fashion.

From the beginning, Berlin couldn’t get anything going in their meeting with Tappara Tampere. Despite an initial frame that saw both clubs enter the locker room tied, Berlin broke down and Tappara never looked back. The veteran CHL participants left their goalie out to dry on numerous occasions conceding 40 shots on goal to Tappara and five goals in seven minutes in the middle stanza.

Their undisciplined play didn’t help, as they were caught for six penalties – one of which Tappara converted. If they hope to stave off early elimination, the team from the German capital must elevate their play and that starts with buying into a sounder defensive game and ends with taking fewer penalties.

Their Swedish opponents didn’t fare much better against Swiss side HC Lugano, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The Swedes exited the contest having pelted Lugano’s Niklas Schlegel with 32 shots on goal, but the netminder was big as a house stopping all but one of them.

Skellefteå also had numerous attempts on special teams, as they headed to the powerplay four times but failed to make use of the opportunities.

Their numbers in the dot were also a bright spot as they managed 42 faceoff wins to Lugano’s 29. If the Round of 16 is to be in their future, they would do well to revisit their special teams and figure out a way to convert when they have possession of the puck.