Surprise leaders Straubing Tigers are out of step in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). Lower Bavaria suffered their second defeat in a row against the up-and-coming defending champions Eisbären Berlin with a 2:4 (1:1, 0:1, 1:2).
This meant that the Tigers’ lead over their pursuers ERC Ingolstadt and Adler Mannheim shrank to just two points each. The ERC Ingolstadt took the opportunity to shorten the score against the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven with a 5:2 (1:0, 2:2, 2:0) as did Mannheim with a 4:0 (0:0, 2:0, 2:0) at the Iserlohn Roosters. The Kölner Haie are also only five points behind the league leaders after their 4:1 (2:1, 2:0, 0:0) against the Schwenninger Wild Wings.
In Straubing, the home team seemed to be on course for redemption early on against Berlin two days after the end of their successful streak of four wins with the 1:4 in Schwenningen. But after Tigers coach Craig Woodcroft’s team was led by Tyler Madden (2nd), the Eisbären turned the game around with a brace from Liam Kirk (13th/22nd).
In the final third, Mitchell Reinke (44th) and again Kirk (52nd) removed the last doubts about the capital club’s third success in the last four games. Nicolas Beaudin (54th) only managed cosmetic results for the hosts.
Meanwhile, EHC Red Bull Munich confidently consolidated its place in the play-off zone. The former champions defeated hosts Augsburger Panther 8:3 (3:1, 2:0, 3:2) and celebrated their fifth success in the last six games.
In the bottom of the table, the Lions Frankfurt left the ice beaten by the Nuremberg Ice Tigers with 2:5 (0:1, 0:3, 2:1) for the second time in the last three encounters. The Dresden Ice Lions once again proved to be a points provider in their 0:4 (0:1, 0:0, 0:3) home defeat against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg.