Tuesday, 07. April 2026 |
DEL Playoffs: Preview of the Semifinals Against the Adler Mannheim
Both the Red Bulls and the Eagles have had a few days to recover and recharge their batteries since the quarterfinals.
While our guys prevailed in six games—winning 4-2 in the Upper Bavarian derby series against ERC Ingolstadt—Mannheim needed just five games. Head coach Dallas Eakins’ team made short work of the Bremerhaven Penguins, cruising to a 4-1 victory.
Highlights: ERC Ingolstadt vs. EHC Red Bull München (04.04.2026)
// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS
A Clash of Titans
Now the second- and fourth-place teams from the regular season are set to face off. Mannheim finished with 103 points, Munich with exactly 100—meaning just three points separated the two teams. “This will be another fiercely contested series. The Eagles and we have been battling each other for years,” predicts Christian Winkler (Managing Director of Sports at Red Bull Ice Hockey).
Just as close as the standings suggest, the four previous meetings this season have been. As is almost always the case in a matchup between two top teams, only minor details made the difference in every game.
At home in the SAP Garden, the Red Bulls won 4-0 thanks to four late goals and lost 2-4; in Mannheim, both matchups even went to a shootout. There, the Eagles came out on top in each game with a 4-3 victory.
The two defenses were also neck and neck: Mannheim had the best defense in the PENNY DEL with 122 goals allowed, followed closely by our team (126).
The first semifinal series went to Munich
This marks the fourth time these two teams have faced off in the final round. The Eagles and the Red Bulls first met in the 2018 playoff semifinals—Munich won decisively 4-1 and went on to complete a three-peat shortly thereafter.
A year later, however, Mannheim prevailed 4-1 in the final series. At the same time, this marked the end of our longest playoff run since our promotion in 2010, following eleven consecutive series wins (from 2016 to 2019). In last year’s quarterfinals, too, the Kurpfälzer ultimately had the greater stamina. We were already leading the series 2-1 before the Eagles won three games in a row to take a 4-2 lead.
Red Bulls enter the series with confidence
After losing our last two playoff series, we’re now looking to get revenge. “This time, we want to turn the tables. We know they have a top-tier team, but we don’t have to hide. We’ve shown in recent games what we’re capable of,” said Christian Winker.
There’s certainly a lot of optimism, and spirits are high. “Hopefully we’ll have a full roster; we’ll have to wait and see about Patrick Hager. We’re heading into the series with our heads held high and in good spirits. And then I think we have a good chance.”
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Das Spitzenspiel bei den Adler Mannheim in Bildern (25.01.2026)
Munich’s Offense on Fire, Eagles Strong on Special Teams
Our offense could be a real game-changer here. So far, we’ve scored an impressive 31 goals in the playoffs—no other team is more dangerous. To make that happen, though, we need to step up our defense; 22 goals allowed is simply too many.
By comparison, the Eagles have scored 20 times, and goaltender Maximilian Franzreb, who has played in all five games so far, has allowed 16 goals. The power play has worked well to very well for both teams: Munich has a success rate of 22.2 percent, while Mannheim has capitalized on a third of all power-play opportunities (five goals on 15 chances | 33.3 percent).
We still have room for improvement on the penalty kill (71.4 percent), while the Mannheim team, with at least one fewer player on the ice, barely let anything get past them (87.5 percent). In the regular season, however, we’ve already found solutions against our opponent’s penalty killing: In those four games, the Red Bulls scored five times on the power play.
“We have to go where it hurts”
In any case, the Red Bulls are well aware of their opponent’s strengths. “They play very hard and are extremely strong in front of the net, both defensively and offensively,” says Markus Eisenschmid. “We have to defend the positions in front of the net and get the pucks to the goal. We have to go where it hurts,” demanded the former Mannheim player.
Our guys have learned from last year’s quarterfinal series. “The most important thing is that we don’t just hold our ground, but set the tone. We want to be the driving force and play our style of hockey,” our forward announced.
WE RUN THIS TOWN | Playoffs 2026
Mattinen Remains a Key Player in the Playoffs
One name is once again at the top of Mannheim’s scoring list: Nicolas Mattinen. The “Defenseman of the Year” already tallied 20 goals and 30 assists during the regular season, and in the playoffs, the defenseman has already racked up five points (four goals). We absolutely must stop the Canadian’s feared long-range shots.
Former Munich player Justin Schütz (also five points) and forward Kris Bennett (three goals) were also on the scoreboard in the quarterfinals. Overall, the Eagles boast a strong team and a deep lineup.
After a long injury layoff, two-time Stanley Cup champion Tom Kühnhackl also returned to the lineup in time for the playoffs, while Brendan O’Donnell is out of action following a broken jaw.
Semifinal schedule at a glance
Semifinal 1: April 8, 7:30 p.m. | Adler Mannheim – EHC Red Bull München
Semifinal 2: April 10, 7:00 PM | EHC Red Bull München – Adler Mannheim - Get tickets
Semifinal 3: April 12, 4:30 PM | Adler Mannheim – EHC Red Bull München
Semifinal 4: April 14, 7:30 PM | EHC Red Bull München – Adler Mannheim - Get tickets
*Semifinal 5: April 17 | Adler Mannheim – EHC Red Bull München
*Semifinal 6: April 19 | EHC Red Bull München – Adler Mannheim
*Semifinal 7: April 21 | Adler Mannheim – EHC Red Bull München
*if necessary – times to be determined
Mit Video
“That worked out well”: Top scorer Tobias Rieder explains his playoff run// STORIES
Mit Video
“Everyone did their part”: Reactions & stats from the quarterfinal series against Ingolstadt// PLAYOFFS - GAME DAY
Playoff Semifinals Against the Adler Mannheim – All the Details on Dates and Tickets// PLAYOFFS - TICKETS