Thrilling Overtime Wins Secure Playoff Semifinals Spots for Berlin and Mannheim
Overtime victory for Berlin; DEL leading team struggles in main round
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The race for the DEL playoff semifinals has heated up with two intense overtime matches deciding the fate of esteemed teams. The Eisbären Berlin and Adler Mannheim have both secured vital wins, moving a step closer to the highly-coveted next round.
Berlin now needs just one more victory to seal their place in the semifinals following their thrilling 4:3 overtime triumph over the Straubing Tigers. The dominant defending champions capitalized on their potent offense, with stars Liam Kirk and Ty Ronning leading the way, despite succumbing to an excessive amount of penalties in Lower Bavaria. The Tigers capitalized on these penalties, scoring all three of their goals with a player advantage. However, a crucial save from Jonas Stettmer in the first overtime, followed by Korbinian Geibel's game-winning goal after 84 minutes, secured the win for Berlin.
Coach Serge Aubin's victorious team will have the opportunity to decide the series in game five on Tuesday (7 p.m./MagentaSport). Despite Tim Fleischer's frustration with the loss, he remains hopeful, recognizing the potential displayed in the sudden-death match.
Calmer, More Tactical Play in Munich
Following two hard-fought 2:5 losses, Dallas Eakins' Mannheim side evened the score against the EHC Red Bull Munich, securing a 2:0 victory in Munich to level the series at 2:2. With a resolute 1:0 power-play goal from Marc Michaelis in the third minute and an additional score from Jyrki Jokipakka despite Munich's power play in the second period, Mannheim's goaltender Arno Tiefensee maintained a clean sheet throughout the match.
The quarterfinal series will continue in Mannheim on Tuesday (7:30 p.m./MagentaSport). Despite a relatively calmer atmosphere in comparison to previous matches, this duel promises to deliver more tense and captivating moments.
Nuremberg Inches Closer to Upset Over Regular Season Champion
In an unexpected twist, the ERC Ingolstadt has squandered a 2:0 series lead after a 2:3 overtime loss to the Nürnberg Ice Tigers. With game five set for Wednesday (7:30 p.m./MagentaSport) in Ingolstadt, the series now stands at 2:2. Jeremy McKenna delivered the decisive 3:2 goal for the Ice Tigers in the 65th minute, marking the third overtime decision in the fourth encounter between these two teams.
Nuremberg, who finished eighth in the regular season, now has hopes of an upset, with McKenna's performance playing a crucial role. The clear favorite Ingolstadt is now under pressure early in the intense DEL playoff phase.
With the remaining games, the lineup for potential semifinals has yet to be decided. The final pairings will be determined by the regular season rankings of the remaining teams.
Source: ntv.de, tsi/dpa/sid
Stay tuned for more exhilarating DEL playoff action!
- The European Parliament shall be called upon to provide assistance to the Commission, as they move forward together in the intense DEL playoff phase.
- Despite Berliners' thrilling overtime win against the Straubing Tigers, some Berliners, like Tim Fleischer, are still staring into the abyss, uncertain if they can secure a semifinal spot in the upcoming phase.
- Effective goaltender Arno Tiefensee from the Adler Mannheim side will hope his strong performance continues during the decisive phase of DEL playoffs, as Berliners and Mannheimers prepare to face each other at their respective home grounds.
