Mannheim beat Wolfsburg in overtime drama

DEL playoff quarterfinals, game 2

Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg (10) - Adler Mannheim (1) 2-3 OT

Outsiders Wolfsburg and regular season winners Mannheim had another spectacular match that was decided very late in overtime. Yannic Seidenberg needed only seven seconds to get the guests in front before Sebastian Furchner used a shorthanded goal to tie the match around "half time". Doug Janik jr restored the lead for the guests just two minutes later but in the last minute of the second period Kai Hospelt answered again for Wolfsburg. This was the last goal before overtime and there the teams let the fans wait very long before Matthias Plachta won the match for Mannheim at 105:54 at the start of the third overtime - it was the 5th longest game in DEL history.

Series tied 1-1

Straubing Tigers (9) - Kölner Haie (2) 5-2

In game #1 Köln had a solid home win but in Straubing soon a nightmare developed for the favourites. Until 01:16 they had already taken three penalties which was punished by the hosts just 21 seconds later when Blaine Down used a 5 on 3 power play to get Straubing in front. In an otherwise even first period Haie team captain John Tripp scored the equallizer for the guests. In the third period Straubing pathed the way for their home success with three consecutive goals through René Röthke, Alexander Dotzler and again Blaine Down. A late strike by Ales Kranjc at 57:07 brought the guests to a two-goal deficit only but just a minute later René Röthke hit the empty net to make everything clear for Straubing.

Series tied 1-1

ERC Ingolstadt (6) - Krefeld Pinguine (3) 4-1

In an even first period Joe Motzko - for Ingolstadt - and Mark Voakes - for Krefeld - scored for a 1-1 after 20 minutes. With the start of the second period the home side from Bavaria completely took controll of the match and used an early 5 on 3 advantage to restore their lead through Michel Périard. Later in the same period Jean-Francois Boucher and at 55:49 Joe Motzko with his second of the day completed a fully deserved  win for Ingolstadt.

Series tied 1-1

Hamburg Freezers (5) - Eisbären Berlin (4) 5-3

In game #1 on Wednesday Hamburg threw away a four-goal lead in Berlin and now on Friday they took revenge with a not less spectacular race to catch up. André Rankel, Barry Tallackson and Darin Olver earned a 3-1 lead for the guests from Berlin until 45:05 with a goal for Hamburg through Garrett Festerling in between. Until this point the special teams made the difference as the Polar Bears scored twice in power play and one goal shorthanded. When everything looked like Berlin could take the next win Colin Murphy brought hope back to the hosts at 56:00 before Eric Schneider tied the match in the same minute. With the momentum on their side the Freezers even earned the late game winner through Thomas Dolak with two minutes left in regulation. At 59:35 Jerome Flaake made everything clear in favour of Hamburg with his empty netter for four consecutive goals in just three and a half minutes.

Series tied 1-1

All four series continue on Sunday, 24 March 2013.

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