Defending champion Red Bull Munich goes into the play-offs of the German Ice Hockey League for the third time in a row.
The 51st. and penultimate day of play, the champions won 5-1 (0-1,2-0,3-0,3-0) in the Fischtown Pinguins without their Olympic heroes, securing first place and the home advantage in the play-offs.
On the other hand, as in the last round of the final round, the EC from Düsseldorf remains only the spectator role. The Rhinelanders won a clear 2:6 (1:2,0:4,1:0) against the Eisbären Berlin and have no chance to improve decisively in the table. This also applies to the Augsburg Panthers after 2-3 (1-2,0-0,1-0,0-0,0-1) after extra time in the runners-up Grizzly’s Wolfsburg.
Things are looking up for the Adler Mannheim, who are close to a direct ticket for the final round. After beating Cologne’s sharks 2-0 (1-0,0-0,1-0), coach Bill Stewart’s team improved to sixth place behind Wolfsburg.
The last two quarter-finalists will be determined in the pre-play-offs. According to the current stand Bremerhaven, Cologne, Schwenninger Wild Wings and Iserlohn Roosters will be present. In the direct duel between the Wild Wings and Iserlohn Schwenningen kept the upper hand with 5:2 (1:0,3:2,1:0) and secured at least tenth place.
The Nuremberg Ice Tigers suffered a surprisingly clear defeat, losing their second place at the ERC Ingolstadt after 2:6 (0:2,0:2,2:2) to Berlin. In the basement duel, the Straubing Tigers won 3-2 (2-1,0-1,1-0) against the Krefeld Penguins.
Munich fell behind in Bremerhaven due to Jordan Owens (4th), but Ryan Button (37th) and Florian Kettemer (39th) came out on top with a loss. In the final period Michael Wolf and Jonathan Matsumoto (both 49th) and Konrad Abeltshauser (59th) secured the clear victory. For Mannheim, ex-NHL strikers Devin Setoguchi (14th) and Chad Kolarik (50th) were successful.