The Nuremberg Ice Tigers were the tenth and last team to qualify for the playoffs in the German Ice Hockey League.
With a 5:3 (3:1, 2:0, 0:2) against Düsseldorfer EG, the in-form Franconians secured tenth place and thus participation in the pre-playoffs. The Ice Tigers have won five of the last six games. DEG mathematically needs one more point to stay in the league.
DEL founding member Augsburger Panther is about to be relegated to the DEL2. The bottom of the table suffered their sixth defeat in a row at the new leaders Fischtown Pinguins in Bremerhaven with a 0:4 (0:3, 0:0, 0:1) and is four points behind the Iserlohn Roosters two game days before the end of the regular season. If the second division playoff champions meet the economic requirements for promotion, Augsburg will be relegated from the DEL for the first time.
Iserlohn is subject to Munich
The table 13th. from Iserlohn lost against EHC Red Bull Munich 1:3 (0:1, 1:1, 0:1) and needs at least one win from the next two matches to finally stay in the league. The Lions Frankfurt secured this early with a 4:1 (1:0, 0:0, 3:1) at ERC Ingolstadt. The Hessians climbed to eleventh place and will continue to play in the top German league next season.
After a surprising 4:1 (2:0, 1:0, 1:1) at the disappointing Adler Mannheim, the Schwenninger Wild Wings are about to move straight into the playoff quarter-finals. Coach Steve Walker’s team is sixth in the table, three points ahead of Mannheim, who currently have to go into the pre-playoffs. The Kölner Haien are also in danger of reaching the qualifying round for the playoff quarter-finals in eighth place after a clear 0:5 (0:1, 0:2, 0:2) at fourth-placed Grizzlys Wolfsburg.
In the top DEL game, the third Straubing Tigers defeated the previous league leaders Eisbären Berlin 4:1 (2:0, 0:0, 2:1).