Defending champion Eisbären Berlin moves into the new year of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) five points behind the confident league leaders ERC Ingolstadt.
The capital city team won 4:2 (2:1, 0:1, 2:0) against second-to-last Augsburger Panther on Monday and celebrated their third win in a row. Ingolstadt defeated Adler Mannheim 6:2 (1:2, 2:0, 3:0) on matchday 32. Leon Hüttl (17th) put the ERC in the lead and, after Mannheim’s equalizer, also made it 3-2 for Ingolstadt (32nd), who made it clear against the Electoral Palatinate team with three more goals in the final period within six minutes.
Nuremberg beats Bremerhaven
Red Bull Munich recovered after two defeats in a row, the former champions won 3:2 (1:2, 0:0, 2:0) against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg and are fifth in the table behind the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven, who play at the Nürnberg Ice Tigers lost 1:2 (0:0, 1:1, 0:0, 0:0, 0:1) after a penalty shootout, and Mannheim.
The Kölner Haie are in the sixth and last direct playoff place after winning 3:2 after a penalty shootout (0:0, 1:1, 1:1, 1:0) against the Löwen Frankfurt.
In the basement duel, bottom team Düsseldorfer EG lost 1:2 (0:1, 1:0, 0:0, 0:1) to the Iserlohn Roosters after extra time.