The Eisbären Berlin took the lead for the first time in the final series for the German ice hockey championship against the Fischtown Pinguins. The record champion won the third match in Bremerhaven after two extra times with 2:1 (1:0, 0:1, 0:0, 1:0). At 98 minutes, it was the longest final game in DEL history.
Berlin still needs two successes for its tenth title. The fourth match of the so far high-class playoff final will take place in the capital on Tuesday (7.30 p.m./MagentaSport and DF1).
Despite the loss of national player Marcel Noebels, the Berliners took the momentum of the 5-3 win two days earlier to the North Sea. With his fifth playoff goal, Ty Ronning gave the guests a 1-0 lead in a game with few interruptions (17th minute).
In front of 4,639 spectators in the sold-out arena, Bremerhaven had big problems with the fast Eisbären players around Lean Bergmann. Penalty times from Berlin brought the Pinguins back into the game. With two more players on the ice, Alex Friesen scored to make it 1-1 (22nd). Once again, coach Thomas Popiesch’s team was able to make up for a deficit in the final series.
Coach Serge Aubin’s team pushed hard to take the lead again after the 1-1 draw. But Bremerhaven keeper Kristers Gudlevskis saved several times. The Latvian showed with several saves why he was voted the best goalkeeper in the German Ice Hockey League in the regular season.
In an exciting final third, Berlin goalkeeper Jake Hildebrand also had to distinguish himself a few times. Since Gudlevskis also made no mistakes, the final series went into overtime for the first time.
There the Penguins keeper once again excelled several times. However, he was powerless against Berlin’s Yannick Veilleux’s shot (98th).
