The Düsseldorfer EG and the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven are only one victory away from the quarterfinals of the German ice hockey championship.
In the first game of the pre-playoffs on Tuesday, DEG confidently prevailed 5-0 (0-0, 3-0, 2-0) against Löwen Frankfurt. At the same time, Bremerhaven celebrated a 3:1 (1:0, 0:1, 2:0) against the Nuremberg Ice Tigers.
Alexander Blank (32′), Cedrik Schiemenz (34′), Stephen MacAulay (37′), Alexander Barta (44′) and Daniel Fischbuch (57′) were successful for Düsseldorf in front of their own crowd.
Bremerhaven led winger Jan Urbas (1st/49th/59th) to victory with a hat-trick, Daniel Schmolz (21st) had meanwhile equalized for Nuremberg.
Next round on Friday
“It can go on like this,” said DEG captain Barta on “MagentaSport”. “We were very disciplined and didn’t allow much. Frankfurt didn’t come into play at all. Now we’re looking forward to the game in Frankfurt. We have to have the emotions under control and appear similarly confident. Then we have good chances.”
The second games of the “best of three” series are scheduled for Friday. Possible decisive games would take place on Sunday. The winner of the duel between Bremerhaven and Nuremberg is waiting in the quarterfinals of the ERC Ingolstadt, the DEG or Frankfurt meets the top favorites and main round first Red Bull Munich.
The round of the best eight in the German ice hockey league begins on 14./15. March.