The two top clubs EHC Red Bull Munich and Adler Mannheim have missed the hoped-for next step towards the desired entry into the playoff final for the German ice hockey championship.
Main round winner Munich drew the short straw in the second semi-final duel against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg with 2:3 (0:2, 1:0, 1:1). As a result, Munich and Mannheim both had to accept a 1-1 draw in the best-of-seven series. The Eagles lost 3:6 (0:1, 2:1, 1:4) against ERC Ingolstadt, second in the preliminary round. Four wins are necessary to advance.
Mannheim frustrated after defeat
Thanks to the two national strikers Markus Eisenschmid and Matthias Plachta, the Mannheimers initially made up for a deficit of 0:2. At the beginning of the final section, Ingolstadt, who was second in the preliminary round, surprised the hosts and defeated the Mannheim goalkeeper Arno Tiefensee three times in less than two minutes. Ty Ronning, Daniel Pietta and Frederik Storm scored in front of 13,600 spectators.
“It happened pretty quickly. It just wasn’t good enough. You can’t win a playoff game like that,” national striker Nicolas Krämmer at MagentaSport struggled with the decisive minutes in the final section. In the end, Mannheim’s frustration erupted in harshness and provocations.
Munich despairs of ray Meier
Two days after the 5-2 home win against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg, the Munich team despaired of the opposing national goalkeeper Dustin Strahlmeier. The hosts took the lead within 19 seconds of the first period with a double from Tyler Morley and Darren Archibald. On the other side, Strahlmeier kept getting the upper hand. When Filip Varejcka scored in the middle section, the keeper was also beaten.
The supposed compensation in the final section was not recognized. Instead, national striker Patrick Hager received a penalty. Spencer Machacek scored the 3:1 (48th) in the majority game that followed. The Wolfsburg team had to tremble until the end because Hager reduced the deficit again seven minutes before the end. Despite numerous degrees, the Munich team was no longer able to equalize.
The two series continue on Tuesday in Munich and Ingolstadt.
