Top defender: Kai Wissmann is a real hit and has ten points scorer in 16 games (one goal, nine assists) Photo: picture alliance / Maximilian Koch
By Jörg Lubrich
Last year the Eisbären missed the play-offs as champions. After more than a quarter of the main round, the Berliners are now leading the table again and are a candidate for the title.
BZ names the reasons for the rise of the ice hockey cult club.
►Trainer. The Eisbären stuck with coach Serge Aubin (48) after the messed up last season. The Canadian is now repaying the trust. He resonates with the players and lets them play offensive, aggressive ice hockey.
►Goalkeeper. Jake Hildebrand (30) came from Frankfurt in the summer and was the big unknown. But he convinced all the skeptics. With an average goals conceded of 1.91 per game, he leads the goalkeeping rankings in the DEL. However: The US professional also started very strongly in Frankfurt and was disappointed at the end.
►Defense. With defender Kai Wissmann (27), the Eisbären perhaps have the best defensive player in their ranks. He came back to Berlin from the AHL (Providence Bruins) in the summer. He leads the plus/minus statistics (difference between goals and goals conceded during his own playing time on the ice) with plus 16. Also in second place is a polar bear with Jonas Müller (27). The original Berliner achieved a remarkable plus 14.
►Attack. The Eisbären score an average of 4.31 goals per game. This is great! Here too, the new additions are convincing, such as Tobias Eder (six goals, seven assists), Frederik Tiffels (four goals, 14 assists) and Blain Byron (eight goals, seven assists).
►Away strength. There have recently been five wins in a row in foreign arenas. The polar bears very efficient and with simple ice hockey.