For the Augsburg Panthers, the situation in the relegation battle of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) is becoming increasingly threatening.
The bottom of the table lost the basement duel at Löwen Frankfurt 3:4 (1:1, 0:2, 2:0, 0:0, 0:1) after a penalty shootout and is four points behind the penultimate Iserlohn Roosters (54th) with 50 points ). Iserlohn played one more game than the Panthers.
The Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven consolidated second place behind the Eisbären Berlin with a 5:4 (0:0, 2:2, 3:2) against Düsseldorfer EG. Berlin and Bremerhaven already have a direct place in the play-off quarter-finals.
The Grizzlys Wolfsburg (4th) won 3:2 (0:2, 1:0, 2:0) at the Schwenninger Wild Wings (6th) and improved their chances of reaching the quarterfinals. Champion Red Bull Munich (5th) won 2-1 (0-1, 0-0, 1-0, 1-0) after extra time against ERC Ingolstadt.
Augsburg were 1:3 behind in Frankfurt after 40 minutes, then Anrei Hakulinen (42nd, 50th) equalized with a brace and forced extra time. After five goalless minutes, Dominik Bokk secured the Lions’ victory in the shootout.
The bottom of the table will be relegated from the DEL if the promoted team from the 2nd league receives a license for the upper house. Augsburg still have five games left in the main round to leave 14th place. Frankfurt is now eleventh, DEG (both 55) is only twelfth.