The Kölner Haie started the play-off quarter-finals of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) with a furious victory.
The eight-time champion won the start of the best-of-seven series at Adler Mannheim 4-0 (1-0, 3-0, 0-0). The Straubing Tigers also celebrated a perfect start with a 5:3 (1:0, 2:3, 2:0) against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg.
The team of former national coach Uwe Krupp took the lead early in Mannheim through David McIntyre (6th). Andreas Thuresson (23rd), Carter Proft (24th) and again McIntyre (36th) ensured the preliminary decision in Cologne in the second third.
Mannheim, which ended the main round in third place, disappointed in the first meeting of the series. Game two takes place on Friday in the cathedral city (7:30 p.m. / MagentaSport).
Michael Connolly (10th) gave the Tigers the lead in Straubing, a double strike by Jordan Murray (21st) and Fabio Pfohl (27th) initially turned the match in favor of the Grizzlies. Straubing hit back quickly through Jason Akeson (30′) and JC Lipon (38′) before Wolfsburg’s Björn Krupp (39′) equalized again with the fifth goal of the second half.
Brandon Manning (42nd) and Marcel Brandt (53rd) then secured victory number one for the Tigers in the final third. The next duel for the semi-final ticket will take place on Friday with the Lower Saxony (7 p.m. / MagentaSport).