The sheet has turned in the playoff semi-final games. With a home win against ERC Ingolstadt, the Cologne sharks can get an optimal starting position for reaching the final.
Anyone who would have predicted this course after the first game of the semi-final series between the Cologne Haien and ERC Ingolstadt would be Ice hockey-fans from the cathedral city were only viewed very incredulously. Finally, the opening game in Upper Bavaria came to an end with an almost disastrous 0: 7 from the point of view of the guests at the time.
But nothing seems impossible in DEL ice hockey. After three games played, it is now the Cologne team that are at the front in the best-of-Seven mode. In other words: With two more successes, the team of coach Kari Jalons has reached the final.
It depends on little things
“It is nice to see that we found back into the series after the first defeat,” said Haie sports director Matthias Baldys about the brisk development. “But we are in the playoffs. It is only important to think from day to day. We have not achieved anything.”
This is how it should be: On Wednesday evening (9.4:20225, from 7.30 p.m. in the live ticker), the sold-out Cologne arena for the sharks are about two match balls. What will it matter? Probably for nuances: “Both teams now know each other exactly, so it depends on little things,” says the Cologne coach.
Jalons have succeeded in drawing the right conclusions from the opening defeat. The sharks defend more compact, with goalkeeper Julius Hudacek also had an outstanding player on the ice, which was able to ward off a total of 39 shots – and the Ingolstadt residents were despair.
Like 23 years ago?
And in the attack, the Cologne team convinced with effectiveness and coldness. And so history could repeat itself: 23 years ago, the Cologne team celebrated the last championship title so far.
Even then, as the main round of the main round, they moved into the playoffs as a blatant outsider – and then surprised everyone. With another success, you could get a big step closer to this sporty feat. The fifth game will be played in Ingolstadt on Friday.
