The leader of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL), Eisbären Berlin, has had to put up with a damper. The DEL record champion was defeated by the Cologne sharks 3:5 (0:1,1:2,2:2) and missed the opportunity to extend his lead to six points.
Berlin thus remains ahead of Red Bull Munich and the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (both 64) with 67 points, who prevailed at the tail light Straubing Tigers with 3:2 (1:2,1:0,1:0). Cologne is seventh with 46 points.
In the table immediately behind the sharks, the crises Adler Mannheim were frustrated at the 7-0 (2-0,4-0,1-0,1-0) defeating the Krefeld penguins and scored their first victory under coach-returning Bill Stewart. The seven goals for the six-time DEL champion were scored by seven different shooters.
The Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven caught up with their opponent Schwenninger Wild Wings with a 5:1 (0:0,1:1,4:0). Both of them occupy the last direct play-off tickets in positions five and six with 48 points. While the Duesseldorf EC left Augsburger Panther 1:2 (0:1,1:0,0:0,0:0,0:0,0:1) for the fourth time in a row as losers after penalty shooting, Iserlohn Roosters were able to beat their fourth bankruptcy in a row after a great chase to catch up at 4:3 (1:2,0:1,2:0,0).
Without Philipp Gogulla, an international player who was not taken into account by shark coach Peter Draisaitl, the Domstadt team looked like the sure winners after two thirds of the match, standing 3:1. Then Sean Backman (46th, 48th) scored the equaliser by double strike, but Cologne responded promptly and restored the old gap by Corey Potter (49th) and Fredrik Eriksson (52nd).