Pielmeier prevents the next extension: DSC wins the match point home game in Hanover
The playoff series between Deggendorfer SC and the Hannover Indians lives on from close, narrow away wins. On Tuesday evening, less than 48 hours after the second longest game in German ice hockey history, Deggendorf celebrated a 2-1 win in Lower Saxony (1-0, 0-1, 1-0). This means that on Friday evening (8 p.m.) in the ice stadium, they have a match point in the best-of-five series.
The decisive factor that evening was the majority game, all three goals came in numerical superiority. Returnee Niklas Jentsch scored in the fourth minute of the game to give Deggendorf the lead, he was lurking at the far post and was able to insert Nicolas Sauer into the almost empty goal. The Deggendorfer defense held again with another outstanding Timo Pielmeier, who even had to save a penalty from Parker Bowles in the first section.
Sunday’s record game – Hannover won in the fourth overtime after a total of 128 minutes of play – was still visibly struggling for both teams, but the teams made the best of it. Hannover always had advantages on the offensive, but once again the Lower Saxony lacked the means or a plan B to accommodate the puck in the goal. A worthwhile individual performance by Joe Kiss (28th) brought the Indians the equalizer they deserved at the time, and the momentum then tipped in the direction of the Hanoverians.
But Deggendorf stayed cool and made the decision in the final section: Thomas Pielmeier scored the winning goal (49th) with a majority. Then things got heated: Jentsch committed a foul on Hanover’s Palka, which resulted in several fisticuffs on the ice, including between Thomas Pielmeier and Jayden Schubert. Despite all the excitement, the Deggendorfers remained ice cold until the end, playing down valuable seconds and successfully keeping the Indians away from the goal. On Friday, the Deggendorfer now have the opportunity to win the third and decisive victory and to secure the ticket for the quarter-finals.