Derby winner: The Cologne team won in Düsseldorf.
imago images / Eibner

In the first game after a two-and-a-half-week forced Corona break, the weakened Düsseldorfer EG narrowly lost the Rhenish derby. With a 1: 2 (0: 0, 0: 1, 1: 0, 0: 0) after a penalty shootout, the duel with the Kölner Haien ends on Friday evening, which makes amends for the clear home defeat against the rival company.

On October 19, DEG dispatched the Cologne team 6-1 in their arena. Subsequently, the team of coach Harold Kreis no longer played in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) and had to be quarantined due to several corona cases. Four encounters have been postponed.

Against the Haie, the hall was sold out again for the first time. The 9,200 spectators did not see goals for a long time. The first hit came in the 35th minute thanks to Marcel Müller for Cologne coach Uwe Krupp. The decimated hosts who went into the game with a training deficit fought, Cedric Schiemenz (45th) equalized. After the goalless extension, Cologne’s Marcel Barinka converted the decisive penalty for the guests.

For Cologne it was the fifth win in the series, after the derby swatter they didn’t lose again. In the table, the sharks keep up with the top group. DEG-Trainer Kreis experienced a bitter 500th game as a DEL-Trainer in the derby.

League leaders Adler Mannheim suffered a surprising defeat. The title candidate failed after nine wins in a row with the 0: 1 (0: 1, 0: 0, 0: 0) in the weak in the season openers Schwenninger Wild Wings.