After overcoming their opponents in the return legs of the Round of 16, both of these teams will clash having been undefeated in at least three CHL games. The visitors haven’t lost in four, with their only defeat dating back to 9 September against the THOMAS SABO Ice Tigers. That statistic, along with several others,  won’t matter however to a Red Bull Salzburg club that has defied the odds thus far and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

The hosts bring with them a domestic winning streak that betters their opponents', with four straight but also prominent wins to their name. Sitting in fourth place, two of those victories have come against teams placed higher than them, including a 4-2 victory over KAC Klagenfurt, who are placed second. Head Coach Greg Poss will hope that timing is in his favour if one of his players is to emerge into the spotlight now, with their EBEL top scorer Ryan Duncan looking the most likely after netting two against Rouen.

Kärpät Oulu know that they are presented with an opponent who has already disposed of worthy competition in the form of the Växjö Lakers and SC Bern. What they have to their name however is an 11-point lead at the top of the Liiga, with a 6-5 loss to IFK Helsinki last month being the only stain on what was a seven-game winning streak for the Finnish side. They’ve won their last three games since then to remove what little doubt there is of their current form in the wake of this matchup.

Despite being favourites, Kärpät will undoubtedly fear what is essentially the unknown against a side that is still learning its own potential. Salzburg inevitably won’t want to let their country down, with a much-anticipated Red Bull showdown potentially on the horizon in the Semi-Finals.