Story Summary
KooKoo Kouvola will make their Champions Hockey League play-off debut against reigning DEL champions Eisbären Berlin in the Round of 16. The Finnish side reached the knockout stage from 12th in the regular-season standings, while Berlin finished fifth and arrive on a four-game CHL winning run.
The series brings together teams with sharply different routes into the last 16. KooKoo won three of six regular-season games, including victories over Adler Mannheim and KAC Klagenfurt, and scored 20 goals. Berlin recovered from two opening defeats to win their next four games, although their 16 goals scored left several contests close.
Key Facts
- KooKoo Kouvola will play their first Champions Hockey League play-off series against Eisbären Berlin in the Round of 16.
- KooKoo finished 12th in the CHL regular-season standings after three wins from six games.
- KooKoo scored 20 goals and conceded 19 during the regular season.
- KooKoo recorded a power-play percentage below 10 per cent and a penalty kill of 66.67 per cent.
- Eisbären Berlin finished fifth in the regular-season standings and enter the knockouts on a four-game CHL winning streak.
- Berlin have reached the CHL play-offs for the fourth time and have progressed beyond the Round of 16 only once, when they made the quarter-finals in 2024-25.
- Berlin’s power play stands at 21.74 per cent and their penalty kill at 80 per cent.
- Leonhard Pföderl has five goals and two assists for Berlin, including four power-play goals.
IHM Discussion
KooKoo have supplied enough attacking intent to earn their place in the knockout rounds, with 20 goals across the six-game calendar. Their wins against Mannheim and Klagenfurt also show that they have already handled prominent continental opposition this season.
The figures nevertheless point to a demanding task against Berlin. KooKoo’s 19 goals against and modest special-teams return leave areas that Berlin can test, particularly with Pföderl proving so productive on the power play. Berlin’s own record has imperfections: they allowed 14 goals in their opening two CHL fixtures and have scored only 16 across the campaign. Their subsequent four-game recovery, however, has carried them into the Round of 16 with momentum.
Why It Matters
This is a landmark tie for KooKoo, whose first experience of CHL knockout hockey comes against an established German champion. It also offers Berlin an opportunity to improve on their previous continental high point, a quarter-final appearance in 2024-25.
The matchup places KooKoo’s quick-transition style against a Berlin team whose special teams have been more efficient through the regular season. Those details frame the hockey questions within a two-game series without deciding how the tie will unfold.
Fan Pulse
For KooKoo supporters, the series is a first chance to see their club in CHL knockout competition after a regular season that included memorable wins over Mannheim and Klagenfurt. Berlin supporters will recognise the significance of a return to the last 16, with the club seeking to surpass its 2024-25 quarter-final run.
Mini Q&A
Who are KooKoo playing in their first CHL play-off series?
KooKoo will face reigning DEL champions Eisbären Berlin in the Champions Hockey League Round of 16.
What was KooKoo’s regular-season record in the CHL?
KooKoo finished 12th after winning three of six regular-season games, scoring 20 goals and conceding 19.
Which Berlin player has been most dangerous on the power play?
Leonhard Pföderl has scored four power-play goals among his five goals and two assists in this CHL campaign.
Coach Mark Comment
Pföderl’s four power-play goals put a very specific pressure on KooKoo before this series begins. A penalty kill at 66.67 per cent can be a number on a page during the regular season; in a two-game tie, every clearance and every recovered puck around the net becomes much more immediate.
KooKoo do not need to reinvent their game to deal with that. They need to be exact when they are short-handed: get the puck down the ice when the chance is there, close the shooting lane early and avoid giving Berlin repeated looks from the same setup. Pföderl has already shown what he does with the extra space.
What Comes Next
The opening game of the two-match Round of 16 series will give KooKoo their first CHL play-off action and begin Berlin’s attempt to move beyond the last 16.
IHM Final View
KooKoo enter unfamiliar knockout territory with proof that they can score and compete against strong European opposition. Berlin bring stronger special-teams numbers, a four-game winning streak and Pföderl’s power-play threat, making the Round of 16 a significant early test for both clubs.