DEL leaders win at home: Cologne Sharks defeat Ingolstadt with two double blows

As of: February 27, 2026 • 11:37 p.m

The Kölner Haie also won their second game after the Olympic break. The DEL leaders celebrated a 6:3 (1:2, 3:1, 2:0) home win against ERC Ingolstadt on Friday evening.

The Cologne sharks were in Germany Ice hockey League (DEL) last with a 7-2 win against bottom team Dresden came out of the competition break well and wanted to end a four-game home series with their third win on Friday evening. The Ingolstadt team, who recently suffered a 4-0 defeat in the Bavarian duel with Munich and are still fighting for a better starting position for the playoffs, had other plans.

Daniel Pietta gave an idea of ​​which in the third minute in front of 18,600 spectators when he scored to give the visitors the lead. A little more than two minutes later, Myles Powell made it 2-0 – Cologne’s false start was perfect. When the guests hit the post, the Haie were also lucky not to fall behind 3-0 (11th minute).

Happy Cologne resident Connection hit by Aubry

The sovereign league leaders were not playing well and the goal for Cologne was very lucky. Louis-Marc Aubry missed Kevin Niedenz’s sharp pass to the second post with his stick in the 16th minute, but skated it into the goal. As is usual with ice skating goals, the scene was checked, but since Aubry did not see any active kicking movement, the referees awarded the goal.

After a largely sleepy opening third, the Haie had to survive a penalty time in the second half before they found their usual offensive strength – with a double blow. First Valtteri Kemiläinen scored to equalize (23rd minute), and Kevin Niedenz took the lead for the first time (25th).

Russell shocks the guests Outnumbered hit

When Sam Ruopp had to serve a penalty for Bayern shortly afterwards, the Ingolstadt team had a great chance to score a shorthanded goal through Powell and scored through Riley Barber shortly after Cologne’s power play to make it 3-3 (28th). Shortly before the end of the third, however, the home team proved to be more accurate when they were outnumbered. Moritz Müller saw from the penalty box how Ingolstadt lost the puck in the attacking third and Patrick Russell used the counterattack to give Cologne the lead again. He caught ERC keeper Brett Brochu cold in the near corner (39′).

In the final third there was initially an open exchange of blows with chances on both sides. Alex Breton had one of the better ones for Ingolstadt when he hit the outside post (49′). If the puck went into the Cologne goal, Janne Javonen was there to provide the usual reliable support for the league leaders. His catch rate of over 93 percent after 28 games is a top value, but in the 54th minute he needed the help of the post again when Barber fired a powerful shot against the direction of his movement.

Second Cologne double strike brings the decision

The Ingolstadt team pushed for an equalizer and, of all things, slowed themselves down in this phase with a penalty against Morgen Ellis (55th) and then conceded 3:5 to Gregor MacLeod (56th) when they were outnumbered. Aubry won a face-off in the ERC third, Kemiläinen passed it across to MacLeod, whose direct shot was unstoppable. Just 15 seconds later, Ryan MacInnis made it 6:3 – Cologne’s second double of the evening – to make it decisive (56′).

With the game against Ingolstadt, the Haie ended a home series of four games and now have to play at EHC Red Bull Munich on Sunday (4.30 p.m.).

Sharks sign Finnish defender Nutivaara

Before the duel with Ingolstadt, the Haie had already announced the signing of a new defender on Friday. Markus Nutivaara has signed a contract with the DEL leaders until the end of the season, so he is expected to be a reinforcement in the fight for the title in the playoffs. He didn’t get a chance against Ingolstadt yet.

The 31-year-old is moving from Oulun Kärpät (Finland) to the Rhine. The left-handed shooter played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for six seasons before persistent hip problems stopped him and he only returned to the ice for his hometown club this season. In the NHL, Nutivaara recorded 18 goals and 55 assists in 292 games, while Oulun Kärpät recorded seven goals and nine assists in 35 games this season.

Our sources:

Broadcast: WDR.de“Kölner Haie turn game against Ingolstadt”, February 27th, 2026 11:25 p.m