KAC Klagenfurt and the Gap Rapaces are the bottom two teams in Group H, and regardless of what happens Saturday they will be at the end of the day as well. However, a KAC win combined with a Zurich loss in regulation time would bring the Klagenfurters to win a point of the Lions, with the two teams still left to face each other twice. The first time around, KAC won 6-3 in Gap, but it was 4-3 after two periods.

“I think they’ll come hard, so we’ll have to be aware and not take it too easy,” said KAC forward Stefan Geier, looking ahead. “If we’re ready and get pucks to the net, it should be good.”

Needing to win their remaining three games in regulation - two of which are against Frölunda - the Rapaces know that, realistically, they won’t be going any further in the competition. However, they know that this game in Klagenfurt probably represents their best chance to gain points, so they’ll be going hard and, according to goaltender Jeff Lerg, the games against such strong opponents have made the team better.

“We’ve improved immensely defensively and we’ve really had to get better on the penalty kill, just due to the skill level of Zurich, and I thought my game was better, so we’ll just try to build on that and find a way to win in Klagenfurt,” the Gap goalie said.