The Lahti Pelicans are gearing up for their second consecutive Round of 16 appearance as they prepare to take on Red Bull Salzburg who are returning to the Playoffs after missing them last year for the first time in their Champions Hockey League tenure.

Through six contests, the clubs are close in the standings with Salzburg occupying eighth place while Lahti are in ninth with both sides sporting near identical numbers in several categories. Each boast a 4-2 record where the Finns have managed to secure 24 goals while the Austrians scored 20; Lahti also have a slight lead in powerplay conversion with 29.63% compared to Salzburg's 25%, but the Austrians have been the better penalty killers operating at 87.1% compared to Lahti's 81.82%.

In their last tilt, the Finnish side dismantled the Rouen Dragons in a 10-1 victory, becoming the only club in the CHL to have scored ten goals in a game. Over their six-game Regular Season, Lahti have posted three or more goals four times putting them among the league leaders in goals for per game with 4.00. The Finns' showing against the French side was an exclamation point that saw the team average over three goals per period and convert on five powerplay opportunities. This was in no small part thanks to defenceman Wyatt Kalynuk who had a career night, securing five points (1G, 4A) en route to the victory.

Production from the blueline isn't the only thing Lahti have going for them, as they have a bevy of scoring talent which is complemented by experience in the form of former CHL MVP Ryan Lasch who has three points in as many contests so far this season. Maintaining that production will be key against a stingy Salzburg side that is tied for fourth in goals against with an average of just 2.17.

It seems the fate of Salzburg is inextricably linked to how well Peter Schneider plays. Following a disappointing 2023/24 season that saw the 33-year-old muster a single point through six contests as the Austrians experienced their first-ever Regular Season exit, Schneider has returned to form and so, too, has his club. The Austrian forward currently leads the club in points with eight (4G, 4A) and has been one of four players to manage a point per game pace for Salzburg.

Using that firepower to exploit a Lahti defence that is currently allowing an average of 3.00 goals against per game would certainly increase the Austrians' hopes of moving on the to Quarter-Finals for the first time since the 2018/19 campaign.