Large emotions, small breakdowns and a deserved victory: The DEL start between the Eisbären Berlin and the Dresden Eislöwen had a lot to offer. In the end there was a successful start for the German champion, who was shown in the strong early form.
The Eisbären Berlin started with a win in the new season of the DEL. Against the promoted Dresden Eislöwen, they won 6: 2 (1: 0, 2: 1, 3: 1) on Tuesday evening. The Berlin goals scored Ty Ronning (4th), Korbinian Geibel (24th), Andreas Eder (34th), Marcel Noebels (42.) Liam Kirk (51st) and Blaine Byron (60.). Austin Ortega (32nd) and Trevor Parkes (59.) met for Dresden.
First breakdown, then lightning start
The big ice hockey party at the start of the season in the sold-out Uber Arena started with a breakdown. Actually, before the start of the game, a banner of the polar bears should be pulled under the hall roof in honor of the profit of their eleventh German championship, but the rope facility went on strike. After waiting for minutes, the banner had to be worn by the ice again.
“If you want to become a German champion, you have to beat the polar bears”
The DEL awakens from summer sleep on Tuesday. When it comes to the championship, according to ice hockey expert Rick Goldmann, there is no way around the Eisbären Berlin in the new season. In the RBB | 24 interview, he reveals who could succeed.more
However, the failed action did not proved itself as a bad omen for the defending champion. He immediately took over the game control, always presented the guests with problems with his high pace and took the lead after just a few minutes. Ty Ronning scored the first goal of the new season, after which he got a rebound from the gang in the right slot perfectly in front of the racket (4th).
After that, however, the game of the Berliners lost intensity and the promoted team slowly dropped the nervousness of the first few minutes at his upper house premiere. Dresden now designed the game more openly and almost equalized before the first break. First of all, Eisbären defender Norwin Panocha scraped the puck with his foot from the line (14th) at a close distance, after which Goalie Jake Hildebrand saved the lead with a brilliant parade (16th).
An entry in the History books and great emotions
In the second third, the game lost speed and both teams rarely came to conclusions. However, the hosts used one of these few options to continue to expand their lead. In the 24th minute, the disc came from Ronning to Korbinian Geibel, who made it 2-0 into the upper left corner.
Dresden made an effort and on the other side almost ensured the connection in direct return, but Drew Leblanc failed on the left post (25th). But too long, the ice lions no longer had to wait for the first DEL goal in their club history: In the 32nd minute, a deflected shooting attempt at Austin Ortega in the slot, the goalie Hildebrand skilfully tuned.
As soon as the guests had celebrated this special hit, the Berliners already provided old conditions – and great emotions. New signing Andreas Eder was in the right place on the left post and dusted 3: 1 (34th). In keeping with his first goal for the polar bears in the Uber-Arena, the master banner was finally pulled to the hall roof on which the player number (#22) of his deceased brother Tobias Eder was immortalized. A moment that didn’t leave anyone in the hall.
The championship banners of the polar bears on the way to the hall roof (Picture Alliance/dpa/Andreas Gora)
Four goals at the end, two top games in prospect
In the final section, the polar bears quickly made the preliminary decision. Frederik Tiffels initiated the goal for the 4: 1 worth seeing with the hoe of his ice skate before Blaine Byron used the completely free Marcel Noebels, who only had to insert the puck in a relaxed manner (42.).
The game has now become increasingly developed into a dominant appearance of the Serge Aubin team, which hardly let anything burn in the back, but was always able to rely on strong parades by goalkeeper Hildebrand. After a nice combination game from a short distance, Liam Kirk added one more (51.).
But that was by no means the end of this spectacular opening evening in the DEL. In the last minute, after a mistake by the polar bear goalkeeper, Dresden Trevor Parkes still made 2: 5 and thus in the meantime cosmetics of results, before Byron answered his second goal immediately afterwards and scored the 6: 2 final score.
After the successful start, the polar bears are facing two top games next. First you have to go to the final opponent of the past season, the Cologne Haien (14.9., 4:30 p.m.), then you go to the fellow favorite for Mannheim (19.9., 7:30 p.m.).
Broadcast: RBB24, 09.09.2025, 10 p.m.
