The final three games of the Champions Hockey League’s round of 16 were played on Wednesday, following which eight teams remain and the quarterfinal matchups are now set (scroll down) and the reigning champions – the ZSC Lions from Zurich – are out.

Joining the five teams that advanced on Tuesday are Ilves Tampere and KalPa Kuopio from Finland – the CHL’s two remaining unbeaten teams – and ERC Ingolstadt from Germany.

First Five Teams Advance To Champions Hockey League Quarterfinals Finnish, Swiss, and Swedish powerhouses punch tickets to the Champions Hockey League quarterfinals. One team battled back with overtime heroics to seal their spot.

Ilves Tampere (FIN) 5 – Pinguins Bremerhaven (GER) 2
(Ilves advances on aggregate score 8-4)

Ilves remains the CHL’s only perfect team with eight straight regulation victories. Starting with a one-goal lead from last week, Ilves increased it to three before Bremerhaven battled back with a pair of goals to make it close again. Erik Borg’s second of the game late in the second period after a giveaway stunted the Pinguins’ momentum.

KalPa Kuopio (FIN) 4 – ZSC Lions Zurich (SUI) 2
(KalPa advances on aggregate score 8-6)

Following last week’s draw, the teams started this game on even footing, but KalPa exploded with four goals in the first 27 minutes – two by Andreas Okany – to take a stranglehold lead. Unwilling to easily relinquish their title, the Lions pushed hard in the third and scored twice, but were unable to come all the way back.

Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) 4 – ERC Ingolstadt (GER) 3
(Ingolstadt advances on aggregate score 9-6)

Down by four goals on aggregate score, Salzburg twice reduced the deficit to two, including on Mario Huber's power-play goal with 6:22 to play. However, an empty-netter by Daniel Schmöltz less than two minutes later solidified Ingolstadt's grasp on a first-ever quarterfinal appearance. 

Quarterfinals:

The first games of the quarterfinals are scheduled for Dec. 2 and 3, with the return legs set for Dec. 16. The CHL will announce the schedule shortly. Here are the matchups:

(1) Ilves Tampere FIN vs (9) Lulea Hockey SWE

(2) KalPa Kuopio FIN vs (10) Brynas Gavle SWE

(3) Frolunda Gothenburg SWE vs (6) ERC Ingolstadt GER

(5) Lukko Rauma FIN vs (13) EV Zug SUI