Ice hockey: five days, three games, two derbies

Created: 03/04/2022, 10:00 am

By: Wolfgang Krzizok, Georg Brennauer

Crossing bats twice: Dorfen's Maximilian Steiner (left) and Erding's Sebastian Busch (right) compete with their teams today and Tuesday.

© Photo: Dominik Findelsberger

It's going to be really stressful for the two Bavarian league ice hockey teams from the Erding district.

They have to play three games in five days – including the derby twice: tonight at 8 p.m. in Dorfen and next Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Erding.

Erding – On Sunday, the home game against EHC Königsbrunn is scheduled for the Gladiators at 6 p.m., while the Ice Pirates are visiting VfE Ulm/Neu-Ulm at the same time.

While Dorfen has to play three more games in the relegation round over the next two weekends, the season ends for the Gladiators with the home derby on March 8th.

As can be heard from the ESC camp, you want to heat up the district townspeople today.

In three matches this season, the Dorfeners only came off the ice as second winners.

They recorded a 1:2 in the Erdinger Herbstpokal, a 0:3 in Erding and a 4:8 in Dorfen in the Bayernliga main round.

In the relegation round, however, it should be a tight box.

Since the beginning of February, ESC trainer Franz Steer has been able to deploy three lines of defenders and forwards again and immediately land four wins in a row.

According to the latest information, Steer can again muster at least three complete blocks in the derby – including top scorer Urban Sodja, now in fifth place in the rankings with seven goals and eight assists in just six games, and Thomas Vrba, who was last named the best player of the game in Königsbrunn had been chosen.

Luca Endres is in top form between the posts.

Incidentally, the ice pirates are in first place in the fairness table of the sevens competition with only eleven penalty minutes per game, which Steer recently particularly appreciated.

"We're really looking forward to it," says Erding's coach Thomas Vogl.

"We have everyone on board except for Marko Babic." For the 30-year-old, the season ended due to a herniated disc.

On the other hand, the Gladiators coach can welcome two returnees: Erik Modlmayr (released from quarantine) and Wassilij Guft-Sokolov.

"He plays and only has his knee operated after the season," says Erding's gang boss.

"We trained well this week, and of course Dorfen is the focus first of all," says Vogl, who is really looking forward to the trio and initially to the "great cauldron" in Dorfen.

He announces: "We're hot, we want to win three times and stay first." And he adds with a grin: "It's going to be a great weekend."

More spectators allowed - and collect donations for Ukraine

There is positive news for ice hockey fans in the district before today's derby: According to the latest Corona decisions, 900 spectators with 2G (75 percent of the stadium capacity) are now allowed to play in Isenstadt.

"Since a high number of spectators is still expected, we are sticking to the coupon regulation," says Manfred Detterbeck, head of ice hockey at ESC Dorfen.

The number of coupons initially available was quickly sold out, so the contingent was increased by another 300 pieces.

A smaller contingent of tickets is available for older visitors at the ice rink box office.

This is open from 6.30 p.m.

Those responsible for the ice pirates and the team have decided to collect donations for the people affected in the crisis area in Ukraine at the derby.

On the one hand, one euro will be donated for every ticket sold, and on the other hand, the ESC youngsters will collect donations for Ukraine during the game.

A jersey of the ice pirates with all signatures of the players as well as a game puck (signed by both team captains) will be auctioned afterwards.

All donations benefit today's "Antenna Bayern Donation Day" with the "Aktion Deutschland Hilft".