The Fischtown Pinguins from Bremerhaven and EHC Red Bull Munich have secured an early entry into the playoff semi-finals of the German Ice Hockey League.
The main round winner from Seestadt also won the fourth duel with ERC Ingolstadt and won the best-of-seven series 4-0. Munich also remained undefeated in four games against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg. The Eisbären Berlin are only missing a win in the classic against the Adler Mannheim. The Straubing Tigers, however, equalized 2-2 with a clear away win at the Schwenninger Wild Wings.
Bremerhaven is in the semi-finals for the first time in club history after a 3-1 (1-0, 0-0, 2-1) win in the fourth match in Ingolstadt. Markus Vikingstad (5th minute), Ross Mauermann (42nd minute) and Dominik Uher (46th) ensured the away win. The goal by Wojciech Stachowiak (57th) for Ingolstadt came too late.
Straubing Tigers are back
Former national coach Toni Söderholm’s Munich team, who were disappointing in the main round, also showed their top form in the 2:1 (0:0, 1:1, 1:0) against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg. Gerrit Fauser gave the Grizzlys the lead when they were outnumbered (37th). Shortly before the end of the second third, 19-year-old Veit Oswald made it 1-1 (40th). Filip Varejcka’s goal decided the game for the fifth-placed team in the main round (46th).
The Adler Mannheim are threatened with an early quarter-final exit in their duel with the Eisbären Berlin. Due to the 1:3 (0:1, 0:0, 1:2) defeat in front of their home crowd, Mannheim are behind 1:3 in the series. The German national player Marcel Noebels (17th), Tobias Eder (58th) and Manuel Wiederer (59th) scored for the Eisbären. The fifth game is next Tuesday (7.30 p.m./MagentaSport) in Berlin. With a win, the club from the capital could move into the semi-finals and seal the Eagles’ early end to the season.
After two defeats in a row, the Straubing Tigers came back in the quarter-final series with a clear 5:1 (2:0, 3:1, 0:0) in Schwenningen. On Tuesday (7.30 p.m./MagentaSport) Straubing has home advantage in the fifth meeting.
