Defending champions Eisbären Berlin and Red Bull Munich are close to reaching the final in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). The champions won at Adler Mannheim on Friday thanks to a strong final third 6:3 (0:1, 1:1, 5:1) and leads in the best-of-five series 2:0. The Red Bulls also clinched their second win with a 3-2 (1-2, 2-0, 0-0) win over the Grizzlies Wolfsburg. Both duels could come to an end on Sunday.
“We had the good end on our side. Victory is victory,” said Berlin’s Kai Wissmann on “MagentaSport”. However, the team had a “difficult start”.
The polar bears set the course with two goals within 17 seconds to win 4:2. Leonhard Pföderl and Zach Boychuk scored in the 55th minute, after which Blaine Byron increased the lead to 5:2 with his second goal after Mannheim had eliminated the goalkeeper (57th). The 3:5 by Tim Wohlgemuth (58th) was followed by the Berlin team to make it 6:3, Boychuk scored again (59th).
Byron had previously made it 2-2 (48′), Manuel Wiederer’s 1-1 (28′). The Mannheimers had previously taken the lead through Jordan Szwarz (14th), after he had left the penalty box just seconds earlier. “We didn’t play with enough focus in the last few minutes,” said Florian Elias, who made it 2-1 for the Adler (37′).
In Wolfsburg, the Grizzlies advanced early with a double strike from Anthony Rech (7th) and Phil Hungerecker (8th), but Austin Ortega (16th), Benjamin Smith (25th) and Maximilian Kastner (36th) turned the game forward the second third break. Vice-champion Wolfsburg tried in vain to equalize.
On Sunday, Munich has match point from 2:00 p.m., the first final since 2019 beckons. At that time, the three-time champion failed at Mannheim. Game three in Berlin starts at 5 p.m. (both MagentaSport).
Grizzlies Wolfsburg – Red Bull Munich 2: 3 (2: 1, 0: 2, 0: 0) – Goals: 1: 0 Rech (06:31), 2: 0 Hungerecker (07:46), 2: 1 Ortega (15:08), 2: 2 Smith (24:59), 2: 3 Kastner (35: 09). – Penalty minutes: Wolfsburg 8 – Munich 6. – Spectators: 3261. – Playoff score: 0:2
Adler Mannheim – Eisbären Berlin 3: 6 (1: 0, 1: 1, 1: 5) – Goals: 1: 0 Black (13:47), 1: 1 Wiederer (27:45), 2: 1 Elias (36:14), 2: 2 Byron (47:45), 2: 3 Pföderl (54: 17), 2:4 Boychuk (54:34), 2:5 Byron (56:26), 3:5 Wohlgemuth (57:05), 3:6 Boychuk (58:37). – Penalty minutes: Mannheim 14 – Berlin 10. – Spectators: 12,670. – Playoff score: 0:2