Berlin extends lead to four points
11 Jan 2012 | Dennis Mende
Eisbären Berlin and Hamburg Freezers both won their games against the bottom clubs Hannover Scorpions and Nürnberg Ice Tigers
Hannover Scorpions - Eisbären Berlin 2:3The first two games between the two clubs were won by Eisbären Berlin but in the last one it was Hannover which secured an away win. The match started well for the hosts as Scott King scored after 2:43 when Berlin was too slow in a line change and left King too much space. Only seven minutes later Darin Olver tied the game with a nice individual effort. At the beginning of the second period Tyson Mulock turned the game around for Berlin when he found the back of the net in a power play of his team. This time Hannover came back when Scott King scored the equalizer around "half time". He could thank especially Jeff Hoggan who won his duel against Jim Sharrow so that King only had to bring the puck over the goal line. With 8:30 left on the clock Richie Regehr scored the game winner for the guests in a power play situation where his team was very effective as Berlin used two out of three power plays to score goals.
Hamburg Freezers - Nürnberg Ice Tigers 4:3 OTThe Nürnberg Ice Tigers gave the Hamburg Freezers a hard fight in their away game. After only 39 seconds Chris Collins brought the Bavarians in front when his shot from the right wing entered the net. Hamburg needed a lot of time to come into the match but around "half time" Brett Engelhardt scored the equalizer with a one-timer from the blue line in a Freezers power play. Two minutes prior to the end of the period Chris Collins did the 2-1 for Nürnberg which dominated the middle period with 11 to 4 shots on goal. The second one by Collins had to pass the video review as there was the question if he had kicked the puck into the net with his skates or with his stick but in the end the referees decided the goal to be good. In the last period Nürnberg was again much more active but now Hamburg finally found a way to get into the game. The 2-2 came after a long pass from Hamburgs defending zone and the following cross-pass in front of the goal found Alexander Polaczek (44.). Five minutes later it was Ryan Stone who turned around the game completely. Now Nürnberg tried everything and with a sixth player on the ice Chris Collins made his hattrick perfect with 69 seconds left by bringing Nürnberg into the over time. There it was Rob Collins who scored the game-winner for favourites Hamburg Freezers after 38 seconds to secure the extra point.