The Kölner Haie have reached the play-off quarterfinals of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). The Düsseldorfer EG, on the other hand, gambled away a 4:1 lead and has to play the decider against the Nürnberg Ice Tigers.
While the KEC won 3:2 at ERC Ingolstadt after extra time (0:2, 2:0, 0:0), the DEG lost 5:6 (3:0, 1:2, 1:3) in overtime. give up.
On Friday (7.30 p.m. / MagentaSport) in Nuremberg it’s all about getting into the next round. The Franconians should start with a lot of self-confidence after the thriller that Gregor MacLeod decided in the 68th minute. The outstanding Dane Fox (30th/40th/54th), Daniel Schmölz (48th) and Patrick Reimer (56th) had only forced the extension after a clear deficit.
Bernard Ebner (2′), Daniel Fischbuch (17′) and Jerry D’Amigo (18′) scored in the first period for Düsseldorf, who had won game one 3-2 in Nuremberg. Tobias Eder (32nd) and Alexander Barta (52nd) followed suit. Nevertheless, the DEG has to worry about the quarter-finals.
Maurice Edwards (70th) redeemed Cologne – the eight-time champion had just won 4:3 in the first game. In regular time, Andreas Thuresson (21st) and Jonas Holös (22nd) equalized the early lead of Ingolstadt through Mirko Höfflin (8th) and Brandon Defazio (11th) in the second period. Now defending champion Eisbären Berlin is waiting.
The quarter-finals, for which the first six teams qualified directly, begin on Sunday. Favorites for the championship are the Berliners, Red Bull Munich and the Grizzlys Wolfsburg.