The Eisbären Berlin have to cope with a bitter setback in the race for direct playoff qualification. On Wednesday, the reigning DEL champions lost against the Straubing Tigers.
- Eisbären lose their first DEL game after a four-week Olympic break
- Straubing narrowly prevailed with 3:2 in Berlin
- Pressure is increasing on the reigning champions in the playoff race
The Polar Bears Berlin have in the first game after the Olympic break the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) had to accept another defeat. The reigning German champions lost to the Straubing Tigers 2:3 (1:0, 1:3, 0:0) on Wednesday evening, losing their third league game in a row.
Goals from Ty Ronning and Andreas Eder were not enough for the capital city team to avert a well-deserved home defeat.
Berlin conceded three goals in the second third
In front of 14,200 spectators in the sold-out arena at Ostbahnhof, the guests started more determinedly and had a few good chances in the early stages. However, the home side increasingly improved and was able to take advantage of their first outnumbered situation: Ronning scored in the 14th minute to take the lead 1-0.
In the second third, however, the Berliners completely lost their line at times. Marcel Brandt was able to equalize for Straubing (25′) and a little later scored Lower Bavaria’s lead in the power play (27′). Ryan Merkley extended the guests’ lead after a counterattack (31′), before Eder brought the Eisbären back to 2:3 (37′).
The home team continued to try hard in the final period. However, against Straubinger, who defended with concentration, they made too many inaccuracies to turn the game around. The Eisbären, currently in seventh place in the DEL, have suffered a bitter setback in the race for direct playoff qualification.
Aubin: “We have to get better”
“We got into the game okay, even if we were still a bit rusty because we hadn’t played for a long time. We weren’t good enough in the second third. We let Straubing get too far and weren’t physical enough,” said Eisbären coach Serge Aubin after the game on the “Magenta Sport” microphone.
“It was a little better again in the third third. But overall it just wasn’t enough. The reality is: There aren’t many games left this season. We have to get better and get back to the playoff mentality as a group,” Aubin continued.
Broadcast: rbb|24, February 25, 2026, 10:12 p.m
