Vice-Champion Grizzly’s Wolfsburg and Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven have presented themselves in the race for the last two quarter-finals of the DEL. Wolfsburg beat the Schwenninger Wild Wings 4:3 after extra time and took the lead in the best-of-three series 1:0 as well as Bremerhaven after the 5:2 at the Iserlohn Roosters.
In the pre-playoffs, the quarter-finals opponents for defending champions Red Bull Munich and the second polar bear Berlin will be sought. In order to enter the next round, the teams need two victories.
Stephen Dixon saved the favourites from Wolfsburg with his goal in the twelfth minute of overtime – the goal only counted after minutes of study of the video proof. For the grizzlies Sebastian Furchner (4th), Christoph Höhenleitner (35th) and Brent Aubin (44th) had previously been successful, Schwenningen countered by Simon Danner (16th), William Acton (21st) and Marc El-Sayed (57th). The grizzlies had become runners-up in the last two years – their coach Pavel Gross will be moving to Adler Mannheim next season.
Bremerhaven scored three quick goals in the final period with Ross Mauermann (43rd), Cody Lampl (45th) and Jan Urbas (48th). Previously, Mauermann (38th) had scored 1:0 for the guests, which Blaine Down (40th) countered. Jack Combs (59th) brought Iserlohn in again, Kris Newbury (60th) made everything clear with his goal in the empty goal.
The second games will start on Friday at 7.30 pm – Bremerhaven and Wolfsburg could then already have their ticket to the quarter-finals.