ice hockey | Final Series German Championship
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Eisbären win third game against Munich
In the final series of the German Ice Hockey League, Eisbären Berlin beat Munich 2-1 in the third game. The German champions are leading 2-1 in best-of-five mode and have the chance to defend their title in Munich on Wednesday.
Eisbären Berlin won their third game in the best-of-five final series against EHC Red Bull Munich (1-1; 1-0; 0-0) and are leading 2-1. The Berlin goals were scored by Zach Boychuck and Dominik Bokk. If the polar bears win their next decider for the German ice hockey championship on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Munich, they will be German champions again.
Instant fire on the ice
After the German champions equalized in game 2 of the final series away in Munich with a 3:2 victory after extra time, the next task awaited the capital city club just one day later. Head coach Serge Aubin was hoping for the home advantage before the game, because the arena at the Ostbahnhof, which was sold out with around 14,000 visitors, was supposed to create a unique atmosphere. But the Munich team was not impressed by this in the first final game and won 4:3.
In the second home game of the polar bears in the final series, the home advantage paid off immediately. After only twelve seconds, Eisbären striker Zach Boychuk broke through the Munich ranks and slammed the puck directly into the post of the guest box. But the guests from Bavaria countered directly with a countermove, which the polar bear goalkeeper Mathias Niederberger was able to fend off with a lightning reaction. The margin from ex-Berliner Austin Ortega just missed. So both teams were immediately in the game.
Fast lead, fast compensation
In the fourth minute, the guests overdid it a bit and Ben Street had to go to the penalty box for tripping. The hosts were able to take advantage of the subsequent power play, but only with the strong help of their rivals from Munich, who managed to play a puck forward that they thought was safe so unluckily that the game device landed on Zach Boychuck, who was completely blank.
The Berliner pulled away immediately and took the lead at 137 km/h. But just a minute and a half later, EHC Red Bull Munich equalized. Zach Redmond was able to use a pass directly because Jonas Müller was unable to assert himself in a duel and lost the disc to the guests.
Lots of chances, no goals
At the end of the first third, Bayern took more and more of the initiative, but the German champions knew how to set a few accents in front of the visitor’s goal. For the final siren of the first part of the game, the Berliners had to fend off 25 shots on goal. Eisbären goalkeeper Mathias Niederberger remained confident and reacted quickly without conceding another goal. The intensity increased further in the second third, so that both Red Bull Munich and Eisbären Berlin had to play on with one man less for two minutes.
In the 26th minute, Leonhard Pföderl let his opponent slide into space with a quick movement, then had an eye for Frank Hördler, who was rushing in the backcourt, but who was unable to convert the Eisbären lead again. The German champion then kept his challenger away from his own goal better and better. In the 31st minute, however, it was only a draw, as a shot parried by Niederberger bounced through the penalty area and then wobbled through the legs of Munich’s Patrick Hager, who was lurking at the second post.
Munich pushes, Berlin hits
The polar bears then kept creating half-chances, but the second goal just didn’t come for the Berliners. On the other hand, the capital team showed defensive stability and was always able to avoid falling behind at the last moment. On both sides, small inaccuracies in the pass or shot ensured that the spectators could not cheer for another goal.
And so coincidence had to help a little: In the 39th minute of the game, Dominik Bokk held his bat in Kai Wissmann’s shot and the puck landed in the goal. After a short video review, the referee gave the goal and the polar bears went into the third break with a lead.
Victory thanks to defensive discipline
The third third started as furiously as the first. Eisbär Marcel Noebels took his shot straight at goal after 20 seconds, the puck wobbled a bit in the air and landed on the crossbar. Munich goalkeeper Henrik Haukeland, like his teammates, only looked after this slap shot. Shortly thereafter, Maximilian Kastner had to go to the penalty box, and the hosts again received an early overpowered game, which, however, died out without a goal. The narrow lead of the Berliners remained, as the polar bears defended it in a tactically disciplined manner and goalie Niederberger was always on the spot and masterfully averted the opposing goal threat.
Carried by the non-stop applause and singing of the Eisbären fans, the hosts were able to get out of every tricky situation until the end of the game. All of Munich’s attempts to attack, whether with a crowbar from the second row or with quick combinations, bounced off the Berlin Wall on the ice and so the hosts were able to take a 2-1 lead in the final series of the German Ice Hockey Championship. Already on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Munich, the polar bears have the chance to defend their championship with a win.
Show: rbb24, May 2nd, 2022, 9:45 p.m
