DEL Tuesday recap

When Adler Mannheim travelled to the capital of Northrine-Westphalia to face local side Düsseldorfer EG most people expected an easy win - but for the currently second-placed Eagles and not for DEG who are last in the DEL table. Drew Paris, Marc-Anthony Zanetti and Andreas Martinsen grabbed a solid three-goal lead für Düsseldorf already in the first 20 minutes. Around "half time" Diego Hofland added another one for the hosts before Mannheim finally answered through Yanick Lehoux. Still there was little to laugh for the guests as Justin Bostrom and Zanetti with his second of the night decided the match before the second intermission. This was also the end of the working day for Mannheim goalie Dennis Endras who only had a save percantage of 77% at this moment. In the last 20 minuets his substitute Felix Brückmann avoided an even more horrible result but the 6-1 was already a huge package.
 
After Mannheim's setback league leaders Kölner Haie extended their advantage to five points. They were themselves successful with a 2-1 road win against the Hannover Scorpions. The first 40 minutes of the match were rather boring and hockey at an average level at best. The third period though compensated for the previous two. Alexander Weiß brought the guests from Cologne in front at 45:46 before former Haie player Ivan Ciernik scored the equalizer at 49:30. In a hard fought period this was not yet the end as Chris Minard won all three points for Cologne with his late strike at 56:30. During the last minute Scorpions goalie Dimitri Pätzold left his net for an additional skater but it was too late for another answer.

At the end of the pre-playoff spots Straubing Tigers continued their positive trend with their third consecutive game in which they won at least a point by defeating top team Krefeld Pinguine away in shootout. Calvin Elfring opened the score for Straubing in power play late in the third period before Joshua Meyers and Adam Courchaine turned the result around completely for Krefeld in the middle period. The guests not only came back through Karl Stewart with ten minutes left in regulation but also won the extra point in shootout through Matt Hussey and Blaine Down - on the other side only Krefeld's Daniel Pietta was successful with his penalty shot attempt.

Eisbären Berlin won the 4th spot back by beating Nürnberg easily 6-2. Frank Hördler, Jamie Arniel and Mads Christensen earned a 3-1 lead for Berlin in the first period with the equalizer for the Ice Tigers through Yasin Ehliz in between. At the start of the second period Patrick Reimer cut the lead to the half but the local Polar Bears answered through Matt Foy and the brothers Tyler and TJ Mulock (empty netter).

The improvement in the table was only possible for Berlin as their direct competitors Hamburg Freezers lost their away match against Augsburg. The local Panthers lay behind at the start of the second period after goals against by Rob Collins and Kevin Schmidt but with a double within 17 seconds in the 32nd minute they answered. But not only that, they even turned the match around when Daryl Boyle scored in a 5 on 3 power play for Augsburg. Peter MacArthur and John Zeiler scored the other two goals for a solid 5-2 home win for the Panthers who now are only three points behind the top-6 playoff spots and thus a direct ticket for the playoff quarterfinals.

ERC Ingolstadt twice lay in front against outsiders Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg through goals by Michel Périard and John Laliberte but still they lost as the guests from the bottom region of the table showed great skills in power play where they scored all their three goals. First Aaron Brocklehurst and Kai Hospelt - he with a 5 on 3 - tied the match twice before Benedikt Kohl scored the game winner for the Lower Saxons at 36:06. Wolfsburg who continued their playoff run now only lay two points behind the pre playoff spots.

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