Both clubs enter on the losing side of things as the Växjö Lakers were unable to find any consistency against Adler Mannheim, falling 3-1 to the Germans, while Slovak challengers HK Nitra were completely overtaken by Skellefteå AIK in a 6-1 stonewalling. 

It wasn't until the 48th minute of the contest that Nitra finally broke through, but by then the Swedes had already lit the lamp five times. The Slovakians did manage to keep up Skellefteå through the first two periods, but fell apart in the third as the Swedes went on to score four in the final stanza. As they prepare to take on another Swedish opponent, it is vital Nitra maintain a full 60-minute effort if they have any hopes of coming away with a win. 

For Växjö, it's all about engineering more chances. In their contest against Mannheim, the Swedes only registered eight shots on net and all but one came from a mid-danger to low-danger area. It's not just about the shots, it's about where they're taken from. So for the Swedes, not only is the antidote to continue to put pucks on net, it's where to shoot from. Creating and generating high quality chances from inside the O-zone should be their primary focus.