The DEL main round is over. Now the pre-playoffs are coming up, followed by the quarter-finals. Among other things, Düsseldorf and Bremerhaven still have a chance of winning the title – the reigning ice hockey champions no longer.
The Eisbären Berlin will not defend the DEL championship titles of 2021 and 2022 again – that is already certain. At the end of the regular season, the polar bears have to settle for a disappointing eleventh place overall. Coach Serge Aubin’s team finally missed making it into the pre-playoffs on Sunday (March 5th, 2023).
In the upcoming pre-playoffs, the Düsseldorfer EG (7th) and the Löwen Frankfurt (10th) as well as the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (8th) and the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (9th) face each other.
Ice hockey: Düsseldorfer EG has to go to the pre-playoffs
Bremerhaven opens the pre-playoff series on Tuesday (07.03.2023, 7 p.m.) against Nuremberg, half an hour later the game between Düsseldorf and newly promoted Frankfurt begins (7.30 p.m.). The games in Nuremberg and Frankfurt are scheduled for Friday evening (03/10).
The game is played in a best-of-three mode, which two clubs – in addition to the already qualified clubs – are allowed to compete in the quarter-finals of the playoffs. Two wins in a maximum of three clashes are required to advance. If there is no winner after two games, this will be determined in a decision game on Sunday (12.03).
DEL: Favorites of the pre-playoffs are certain
There have only been four games in history between the Düsseldorfer EG and the DEL newcomer from Frankfurt in Hesse – all of them in the main round this season. Frankfurt won once, and DEG walked off the ice three times as the winner. Dusseldorf goes into play as a favorite against the promoted team.
The Pinguins Bremerhaven and the Nuremberg Ice Tigers, on the other hand, have often met on the pitch – including in the pre-playoffs: in 2019 it took three games before a winner was found in this duel. Ultimately, the Ice Tigers defeated the Penguins 3-2 in their third meeting.
After the last six defeats in a row against Nuremberg, Bremerhaven has to be content with the role of outsider.
Kölner Haie grab DEG’s playoff spot
The other six places in the quarter-finals have been awarded to the clubs that have secured the top six places in the table in the past 56 league games: Red Bull Munich, ERC Ingolstadt, Adler Mannheim, Straubing Tigers, Grizzlys Wolfsburger and Kölner Haie .
The fact that Cologne qualified directly for the quarter-finals of the playoffs was only decided on the last day of the season: The Haie, who were seventh before kick-off, pushed past their local rivals from Düsseldorf in the table. While Uwe Krupp’s team celebrated an 8-2 home win against relegated Bietigheim, DEG lost 4-0 against the Adler from Mannheim.
The Kölner Haie save themselves the walk through the pre-playoffs by winning the long-distance duel with Düsseldorf and start on March 14th. with the quarterfinals against Mannheim. In contrast to the pre-playoffs, the quarter-finals take place in best-of-seven mode.