DEL top quartet without difficulties

02 Oct 2012 | Dennis Mende

All 14 teams were in action one day prior to the German national day

League leaders Kölner Haie now have won all their first 7 games by only losing 2 points for winning after OT/SO. Against the now last in the table Hannover Scorpions they went in front 5-0 until the start of the second period before Hannover fought back with two fast power play goals until "half time". In the remaining time the hosts defended clever.

With only one point less than Cologne follow the Adler Mannheim who had even less problems when they received Iserlohn Roosters. A 13-minute span of the middle period was enough for them to get a four-goal lead that was extended with the begin of the last 20 minutes for the final score of 5-0. German national goalie Dennis Endras underlined his strong form by making 24 saves for his first shoutout as Mannheim goalie.

Augsburg Panther follow as third with one game less played but with a better point average than Mannheim. Today the Bavarians won in Hamburg against the local Freezers thanks to a last-minute goal by Stephen Werner at 59:44. Before Frezers forward Garrett Festerling had tied the match with a double in the middle period.

Düsseldorfer EG lost almost all their top players of the last year due to heavy financial trouble. They have a young, talented roster but without the necessary experience at the top professional level. Today they twice scored the equalizer in Nürnberg against the Ice Tigers because their goalie Robert Goepfert kept them in the game but in the third period four consecutive strikes by Nürnberg decided the match.

The only favorites who failed tonight were ERC Ingolstadt. Against the Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg they created several good opportunities but guest goalie Sebastian Vogl earned a 34-save shutout. On the other side Wolfsburg was succesful through Matt Dzieduszycki, Benedikt Schopper and Sebastian Furchner. For Wolfsburg it was only the second win in their seventh match. With 7 points the Grizzly Adams are now on the 10th spot.

EHC Red Bull München was the only DEL team without a single win so far but this changed in the Bavarian derby tonight against the Straubing Tigers. Late in the second period Martin Buchwieser had opened the score for the hosts before Michael Endraß answered for Straubing. Klaus Kathan and Mike Kompon decided the match in the third period for München.

Despite a goal and an assist by their NHL reinforcement Christian Ehrhoff in the second period, Krefeld Pinguine lost at home against current champions Eisbären Berlin who had pathed the way for their away win with three consecutive goals in the first 20 minutes. At 59:15 Florian Busch decided the match for Berlin which tries to avoid a complete false start as the win in Krefeld was only the third in seven games for the Polar Bears.