Kölner High and Düsseldorfer EG could both enter the quarter-final playoffs at DEL with a win – and create a season that hasn’t been very pleasant for both of them so far.

About 500 kilometers from Cologne-Deutz, the goal is to make the shark’s fate perfect. At Ingolstadt’s arena, the Rhinelanders look to advance to the playoffs in a best-of-three mode on Thursday evening (7:30 p.m.; April 7, 2021).

On Tuesday he laid the cornerstone in a stunning 4:3 home game against ERC Ingolstadt. “These are close games against Ingolstadt. But in Ingolstadt it starts all over again,” said Uwe Krupp with a serious expression immediately after the win.

After the final whistle, the High Coach seemed satisfied, but also thoughtful. After all, his team no longer enjoys playing in the pre-playoffs in front of 10,000 Haie fans. “Of course you have spectators behind you and that makes a difference, especially now that multiple spectators are allowed again. Of course, it’s much better to have background play,” Krupp said.

Kölner Haie has earned its fortune

With another win in Bavaria, Krupp and his team would have advanced to the next round. In the quarter-finals of the playoffs from April 10, Eisbren Berlin will then wait in best-of-five mode. However, if High were to lose, the crucial game would be on schedule at the same venue the next day.

“Overall, in the playoffs it’s just a matter of implementing the team’s game plan and playing the way we want. And then you also need the luck you need to win the game,” says Krupp, deliberately cautious. . In the first, Hai tried his luck in the game against ERC.

“I don’t think we have to change much. I think we have to continue like that. Over the past few weeks we’ve played very consistently, we’ve got very few penalties and we have got a lot of little things right. If we If we get it back on the ice, we’ll have really good chances,” says KEC professional Maxi Kammerer.

The figures for this extremely bumpy season against Ingolstadt for High speak for Cologne at least. High has won four out of five matches this season.

DEG expects an intense game

Düsseldorf Ground Floor Meanwhile, it’s not far off as sharks. Following a 3–2 success over the Nuremberg Ice Tigers in the first pre-playoff round, the second game against the Franconians is also scheduled for Thursday evening at the Düsseldorf Dom at the same time as Cologne’s Rhine rivals. Perhaps the required third match will also be played at the same venue on Friday.

“High intensity, tough game, lots of doubles”, DEG goalkeeper and match winner Mirko Pantkowski characterized the encounter after the first game. Eventually, 37 of Nuremberg’s shots flew at his goal, with 16 more being blocked. The people of Düsseldorf are now hoping for a similar course on their home ice.

For personal reasons, head coach Harold Kreis, who traveled to Canada in a short time, could not be there. Kreis is again represented by assistant Thomas Dolak. DEG is also expecting – just like him cologne shark – to make the quarterfinals, which would put this strange season in a much more positive light for them.

Source: sportschau.de