Bremerhaven won the DEL top game on Sunday (December 17th, 2023) against Straubing and thus took the lead in the table – because leaders Berlin made a mistake.
The Fischtown Pinguins from Bremerhaven won 2-0 (0-0, 0-0, 2-0) against the third-placed Straubing Tigers and thus took the lead in the table.
Late goals are enough for Bremerhaven
Goalkeepers Kristers Gudlevskis and Hunter Miska put their stamp on the game, the duo fending off all 55 shots until the 58th minute. Only then did Miha Verlic defeat Straubing’s goalie Miska. Just 66 seconds later, Felix Maegaard Scheel scored into the empty net and secured the Penguins’ fourth win in their last five games.
The Pinguins benefited from the defeat of the Eisbären Berlin, who were behind for the first time in five games and lost the lead in the table. The capital city team lost to the Adler Mannheim 1:3 (0:0, 1:1, 0:2). Yannick Veilleux scored the only goal for the Berliners, who only found their game late and incurred too many time penalties.
Mannheim gets a deserved coup
The 14,200 spectators in the sold-out arena at Ostbahnhof saw a disjointed game from the start with many tough duels and time penalties on both sides. The guests were the more dangerous team and went into the first break with a clear increase in chances. In the second third, the Kurpfälzers took advantage of their superiority: Tyler Gaudet scored in the power play. The Berliners, who had struggled on offense for a long time against the robustly defending guests, now became more determined and were rewarded with Veilleux’s equalizing goal.
In the final period, both teams missed numerous good opportunities before Mannheim won the game in the last two minutes. First, former Eisbären professional Daniel Fischbuch scored, then David Wolf ensured the final score after Berlin goalie Jake Hildebrand left the ice in favor of an additional field player.
Curious scuffle – Cologne and Nuremberg’s goalkeeper in a duel
Fights are nothing unusual in the DEL, but Tobias Ancicka and Niklas Treutle caused an argument that was rare. In the game between the Kölner Haien and the Nuremberg Ice Tigers, the two goalkeepers hit each other on Sunday afternoon. There was no winner in the fight between Ancicka (Cologne) and Treutle (Nuremberg), the Haie won the game 4:2 (1:0, 1:2, 2:0).
For Ancicka, the duel with the fists still felt like a defeat. “The fight was one-sided. I didn’t land a punch, Niklas Treutle landed eight“, said the goalkeeper after Cologne’s fourth win in a row: “Anyway, that was my first fight – it was good for the show.”
Red Bull Munich beats Schwenningen
Red Bull Munich with former German national coach Toni Söderholm beat the Schwenninger Wild Wings 3-0 (1-0, 1-0, 1-0) and is getting closer to the top trio again. Chris DeSouza gave the hosts the lead (18′), Ben Smith (31′) increased in the middle period. Andreas Eder (52nd) made the decision.
DEG narrowly wins in the basement duel
In the DEL basement duel, Düsseldorfer EG celebrated a narrow 1-0 win against Iserlohn and thus kept the Roosters at bay in the table. Kenny Agostino scored the golden goal in the 16th minute for Düsseldorf, who then saved their 1-0 lead from third to third and finally to the goal.
Iserlohn had a good away game overall in the NRW state capital and had a few chances, especially in the middle section. In the final section, however, the Roosters no longer had the offensive power needed to overcome DEG goalie Henrik Haukeland.