The Fischtown Pinguins have secured the main round victory in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) and are going into the play-offs as the team with the best points. The Eagles won clearly on the last day of the match.
In the showdown against DEL record champions Eisbären Berlin, the Bremerhaven team prevailed 2-1 (0-0, 2-0, 0-1) and crowned their strong season with first place. Outgoing coach Thomas Popiesch’s surprise team, which has only been in the DEL since 2016, has home advantage in all knockout rounds in the race for the 103rd German championship title.
Munich lost fourth place
On the other hand, defending champion Red Bull Munich starts away in the quarter-finals, having lost fourth place with an embarrassing 4:5 (2:2, 1:3, 1:0) home defeat against the Augsburg Panthers, who had already been relegated. Despite losing 3:6 (2:3, 0:0, 1:3) to third-placed Straubing Tigers, the Grizzlys Wolfsburg remained one point ahead of Munich. Both teams meet in the quarterfinals. Straubing faces the Schwenninger Wild Wings, who won 5:3 (1:0, 1:2, 3:1) at the Iserlohn Roosters.
Adler in the pre-play-offs against Nuremberg
Things continue on Sunday for the Adler Mannheim, who, after winning 6:1 (2:1, 2:0, 2:0) at the Kölner Haien, have to compete against the Nuremberg Ice Tigers in the preliminary play-offs. At the end of the main round, the Franconians lost 4:5 (0:3, 4:0, 0:1, 0:1) after extra time to runners-up ERC Ingolstadt, who are fighting against Cologne for a place in the quarter-finals. The Düsseldorfer EG missed the play-offs prematurely and the disappointing season ended with a 2-1 (0-0, 0-0, 2-1) against the Löwen Frankfurt.
Bremerhaven’s Urba’s best scorer
Ziga Jeglic (34th) gave Bremerhaven the lead in Berlin: He scored after a shot from the post by his Slovenian compatriot Jan Urbas, who secured the title of scorer king with the assist. Skyler McKenzie (39th) increased. Shortly before the end, vice world champion Kai Wissmann (57th) only managed to score the next goal.