Advantage Cologne and Düsseldorf: DEG and Haie only need one more win
At the start of the play-offs, the Rhenish rivals Cologne and Düsseldorf gained an advantage: In the best-of-three series, the Haie won against Ingolstadt, while DEG prevailed in Nuremberg.
The Düsseldorfer EG cheers at the Nuremberg Ice Tigers.
IMAGO/Zinc
It was particularly intense when DEG scored 3-2 (2-0, 1-2, 0-0) at the Nürnberg Ice Tigers. In a fast-paced and aggressive game, the Rhinelanders started better without head coach Harold Kreis, who had traveled to his native Canada for personal reasons, and had the better keeper in Mirko Pantkowski in his first DEL playoff game ever.
The team currently being coached by assistant coach Thomas Dolak can make everything clear in front of their own audience on Thursday. Kreis will still be missing there, too. “It wasn’t easy for us. We said we’d do it for Harry,” said defensive veteran Bernhard Ebner at MagentaSport. It was the fifth win for Düsseldorf in the fifth game this season against Nuremberg.
More than 10,000 spectators in Cologne
It wasn’t as intense as in Nuremberg in Cologne’s 4:3 (1:1, 2:1, 1:1) against ERC Ingolstadt. Just over 10,000 spectators cheered the consistent and patient victory of the in-form Haie. “That’s what you play for,” said match winner Landon Ferraro in view of the backdrop. The Haie now have it a little harder than DEG, as Cologne have to play away on Thursday. “It was a close game. We’re definitely ready for our home game,” said Ingolstadt attacker Jerome Flaake.
Should a third game be necessary to decide, this would take place on Friday. The quarter-final series will start on Sunday. So far, the pairings between Wolfsburg and Bremerhaven and Straubing and Mannheim have been fixed there. Defending champions Eisbären Berlin and runners-up EHC Red Bull Munich play against the winners of the pre-playoffs.