Final decisions are pending
Polar bears have the eating order in the fight for the DEL pole
March 8, 2024, 8:24 a.m
This Friday is the last matchday of the main round in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). While the Augsburg Panthers have already been relegated, other decisions are still open. An overview of the outstanding decisions.
Showdown between Polar Bears and the Fishtown Penguins
After 51 games, the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven are at the top. Who would have thought that before the season? The Eisbären Berlin are lurking behind the surprise team from the North Sea coast, only two points behind. On the last match day (7.30 p.m./MagentaSport) There will be a showdown in the capital for pole position for the playoffs between the pursuer and the leader.
Who has home advantage in the quarter-finals?
Behind the top duo, the Straubing Tigers are safely in third place. Lower Bavaria will face Schwenninger Wild Wings in the round of the last eight. Another quarter-final match has already been decided: the Grizzlys Wolfsburg will play against Red Bull Munich. But it is still unclear who will be the first to enjoy home advantage. Lower Saxony goes into the final game in Straubing with a one-point lead over the champions. Munich welcomes Augsburg.
Prominent clubs in the pre-playoffs
The Adler Mannheim and the Kölner Haie have to go into the first playoff round after a disappointing main round. There the ambitious clubs meet runner-up ERC Ingolstadt and the Nuremberg Ice Tigers. Who plays against whom will be decided on the last match day. If everything stays as usual, Cologne will meet Nuremberg, Mannheim would have to play Ingolstadt like in the semi-finals last season.
What will become of the sporting relegated Augsburg?
As after last year’s main round, Augsburg has to wait. As the bottom of the table, there is a risk of relegation to the DEL2. The Panthers only really have to go down if the Kassel Huskies or the Krefeld Pinguine are the only candidates for promotion and actually become second division champions. This circumstance obviously limits planning in Augsburg enormously.