The Eisbären Berlin made a spectacular comeback in the quarter-final series of the DEL playoffs against Adler Mannheim.
The runners-up in the main round won 4:2 (0:2, 3:0, 1:0) in Mannheim after being 0:2 behind. Within 102 seconds in the second third, the Eisbären turned the game around with three goals. Ty Ronning (28th minute), Marcel Noebels and former Mannheimer Lean Bergmann (both 29th) shot the Eisbären into the lead. The Berliners were badly defeated 7-1 in the first game of the series, in which four wins are necessary to advance.
After Berlin’s third goal, there was tumult because of Bergmann’s emotional celebration. The national striker, who was initially loaned out to Iserlohn in the previous season due to the unrest in Mannheim and later transferred to Berlin, provoked the audience with gestures and his provocative cheers. This ultimately led to a scuffle with Berlin-born Leon Gawanke in the Mannheim jersey.
“If you mock our fans like that, then you should expect a reaction,” said Gawanke about the action on MagentaSport after the game. After serving his penalty, Bergmann was only allowed to get involved again in the final third and was from then on the bogeyman in the stadium. Almost two minutes before the end, national striker Tobi Eder made the decision. The third game continues in Berlin on Friday.
Already one step further than Berlin and Mannheim, the main round winner is Bremerhaven. The Fischtown Pinguins also won the second quarter-final game at runner-up ERC Ingolstadt 4:3 (0:1, 1:2, 2:0) after extra time and now lead the series 2:0. Before the game, Ingolstadt’s Daniel Pietta was honored for his 1000th DEL game.
