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The Eisbären Berlin keep their chance for the eighth championship
Photo: Swen Pförtner / dpa
The Eisbären Berlin prevented the Grizzlys Wolfsburg from winning the first championship title in the final of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL).
The team of coach Serge Aubin prevailed in the second playoff duel in Wolfsburg 4: 1 (1: 0, 2: 1, 1: 0).
After the Wolfsburg win in the first game, the best-of-three series is now a 1-1 draw.
The decision will be made in the third game.
Polar bear captain Frank Hördler is someone who is familiar with finals. The 36-year-old - who was already on the team at all seven championships - put the puck on his backhand and completed the top right to lead in the first third (17th minute). With Ryan McKiernan a defender hit again (28th), Sebastian Streu extended the lead of the guests (31st). The Grizzlys managed to catch up with Gerriz Fauser (38th). Shortly before the end of the game, Lukas Reichel hit the orphaned goal (58th).
The fact that this second final was more one-sided than the hard-fought first game was mainly due to the polar bears.
They put the grizzlies under pressure right from the start.
Even before the 0: 1 by the Olympic silver medalist Hördler, Wolfsburg's strong goalkeeper Dustin Strahlmeier prevented a deficit several times.
Even after the 1: 3, the Berliners were not nervous again.
Sign to the injured top striker
The polar bears had to compensate for the short-term failure of their attacker Zachary Boychuk, the 32-year-old Canadian was missing injured.
The other Berlin players hung his jersey with the number 89 over the exchange bench.
“The chemistry in the team plays a major role,” said managing director Peter John Lee at “MagentaSport”.
Already in the first knockout rounds against Iserlohn and Ingolstadt, the Berliners lost the first game and turned the series afterwards.
That too makes her a favorite for the title on Friday evening.
There were no playoff games last year due to the corona pandemic, so there was no German champions in 2020.
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