Two of Tuesday’s matchups were determined by a goal while the other three were clear-cut victories. The Pinguins Bremerhaven, Färjestad Karlstad, Eisbären Berlin, ZSC Lions Zurich and the Växjö Lakers all entered their return legs with the lead and prevailed on Tuesday to become the first five quarterfinalists in the 2024-25 Champions Hockey League season. The three remaining round-of-16 ties will be determined on Wednesday.

Skellefteå AIK (SWE) 1 – Pinguins Bremerhaven (GER) 5
Bremerhaven advances on aggregate 10-1

Skellefteå started the game in a five-goal hole and, in an attempt to open the game up right from the start, bled scoring chances and surrendered four first-period goals. That made the last 40 minutes academic, and each team scored once. Veteran Slovene Jan Urbas led the Pinguins with two goals and three points and Latvian goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis stopped 38 of 39 shots.

Färjestad Karlstad (SWE) 2 – Tappara Tampere (FIN) 3
Aggregate score tied 5-5, Färjestad won 6-5 in OT

Top-seeded Färjestad was nearly toppled by 16th-seeded Tappara, but Viktor Lodin’s overtime goal – which came just seconds after the expiration of a power play – sees the Swedish team through to the quarters. Färjestad entered the final regulation period with a two-goal aggregate lead but Nicholas Halloran on a 5-on-3 and Kristian Tanus with the goaltender pulled in the last two minutes drew Tappara even.

Eisbären Berlin (GER) 4 – Sheffield Steelers (GBR) 2
Eisbären advances on aggregate 9-5

Trailing by a goal on aggregate, Marc-Olivier Vallerand scored the only goal of the first period to bring Sheffield within one. Two quick Eisbären goals early in the second, however, gave the German champs a commanding lead. The Steelers pulled the goalie with a two-man advantage in the second to make a 6-on-3 but were unable to capitalize. Leonhard Pföderl and Daniel Ciampini had two points each for Eisbären.

ZSC Lions Zurich (SUI) 7 – Straubing Tigers (GER) 1
Zurich advances on aggregate 11-3

The Lions started this game with a two-goal aggregate lead and it remained that way after one period, but three second-period goals gave them a stanglehold and the ulitmately won going away. Sven Andrighetto scored the game’s opening goal and added three assists, while ex-NHLers Denis Malgin and Juho Lammikko each scored twice in a winning cause.

Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI) 3 – Växjö Lakers (SWE) 3
Växjö advances on aggregate 4-3

Entering the game with a one-goal lead, the Lakers were up by two on aggregate with a period to go. Midway through the third period, Fribourg took advantage of the CHL rules and struck twice on the same power play to tie it. But just 71 seconds after the equalizing goal, Félix Robert put Växjö back in front to stay.

Wednesday’s games (with current aggregate scores):
Ocelaři Třinec (CZE) 1 – Sparta Prague (CZE) 4
Genève-Servette (SUI) 5 – Lausanne HC (SUI) 0
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) 2 – Lahti Pelicans (FIN) 1