Revenge for horror season?
Eisbären move into the DEL quarter-finals with bankruptcy
February 19, 2024, 6:13 a.m
The Eisbären Berlin and the Fischtown Pinguins are the first participants in the playoffs in the DEL. The team from the capital fights back against Ingolstadt, misses the chance to win in extra time – and can still celebrate the lost penalty shootout.
After a horror season, the Eisbären Berlin became the first team in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) to book a ticket to the quarterfinals this season. By winning a point in the 2:3 (0:0, 1:2, 1:0, 0:0, 0:1) home defeat against ERC Ingolstadt after a penalty shootout, the league leaders have secured one of the first six places and have to Don’t take the detour of pre-playoffs.
“We had phases in the game in which we were very good. But we also lost track at times,” said Berlin national player Marcel Noebels after the defeat in the arena at Berlin’s Ostbahnhof, which was once again sold out with 14,200 spectators. Coach Serge Aubin praised the “commitment and passion” and said he had seen “many good situations”.
After a 2-0 deficit, Berlin’s Zach Boychuk (31′) and Julian Melchiori (55′) scored extra time. Because her team missed some clear opportunities in overtime, the game went to a penalty shootout. In the shootout, Brandon Kozun shot ninth-placed Ingolstadt to victory. Berlin had finished the completely disappointing main round last year in eleventh place and was even missing from the preliminary play-offs.
Also Penguins already in the playoffs
Berlin (93 points) is just ahead of the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (92), who won 3:2 (1:0, 1:0, 1:2) at the Grizzlys Wolfsburg and moved closer. Bremerhaven also secured their direct place in the playoffs after winning the northern duel with help from the shooting team. The Straubing Tigers (84) consolidated third place with a 3:1 (0:1, 2:0, 1:0) over the Kölner Haie.
In the bottom of the table, bottom team Augsburger Panthers (49) lost against the Iserlohn Roosters (52), who were also in danger of relegation, 1:2 (1:1, 0:0, 0:0, 0:1) after extra time. The Lions Frankfurt beat Adler Mannheim 5:3 (1:1, 1:0, 3:2) and are still directly ahead of Iserlohn and Augsburg with 53 points.