Saturday, 19. September 2026 |
DEL Preview, Matchday 2: Red Bull München Visits the Grizzlys Wolfsburg
Our Form
Six goals, an extremely intense and thrilling 65 minutes, and jubilant Red Bulls—the 10,796 fans in the sold-out SAP Garden got to see the full spectrum of action on Friday night during the DEL season opener against the Adler Mannheim.
With their narrow victory in a shootout against one of the league’s top teams, our guys not only secured their first win of the season but also sent a small message to the competition. The only frustrating part was that Munich, who had been effective in the second period, let a 3-1 lead slip away in the final period.
“That’s when we stopped playing,” said returnee Dominik Kahun, who scored twice. “But after the 3–3 tie, we got back on track. In the end, we’re happy that we won. But we can’t be satisfied with the fact that we let a two-goal lead slip away,” the forward emphasized.
Here's how the season opener against the Adler Mannheim went
// Highlights
The Opponent
The Grizzlys Wolfsburg also kicked off the new season with a win. The Lower Saxony-based team pulled off a surprise right on the first game day, winning 8-4 on the road against the Kölner Haie. They scored five goals in the final period alone.
After finishing eighth last season and being eliminated in the pre-playoffs by the Schwenninger Wild Wings, head coach Tyler Haskins’ team is now looking to climb back up the standings. To that end, the roster underwent some changes over the summer and was significantly rejuvenated.
Madison Bowey (Augsburger Panther) and former Munich player Les Lancaster (Eisbären Berlin)—two offensively strong defensemen—have joined the team in the city of Volkswagen. The rugged Tommy Pasanen (Löwen Frankfurt) is expected to bring his strengths to bear in front of his own net, thereby taking some pressure off goaltender Dustin Strahlmeier. The 34-year-old remains the team’s mainstay.
The offense, one of last season’s problem areas, has also been bolstered. Center Will Graber, known for his strong face-offs, is looking to regain his former form after a difficult season in Nuremberg due to injury; in addition, Tyler Morley returned from Switzerland after three years (most recently with 26 points for Kloten). The Canadian already played for the Grizzlys in 2022–23, impressing with 19 goals and 39 assists.
Also new to the team are 19-year-old prospect Dustin Willhöft (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) and Ross Mauermann. The experienced German-American has played in Bremerhaven for the past ten years and is stepping in for the injured Julian Chrobot (torn cruciate ligament).
Highlights: EHC Red Bull München vs. Adler Mannheim (September 18, 2026)
// Gameday
The Showdown
After a successful start, both teams are heading into the matchup with confidence. While our guys aim to dominate with their active and aggressive play—both with and without the puck—the Grizzlys will counter with their dangerous transition game. This strategy worked very well on Friday in Cologne, and Wolfsburg was particularly successful on the breakaway. So our team has been warned.
In addition, the opening minutes could prove decisive. For the Red Bulls, the key will be to take away the Grizzlys’ momentum right from the start in their first home game of the season, following the goal-fest in Cologne.
Player in the Spotlight
He came, he saw, he scored: With two goals against Mannheim, Dominik Kahun celebrated a dream comeback in a Munich jersey—and thus also in the PENNY DEL. Exactly 3,068 days after his last competitive game for the Red Bulls, Kahun made an impressive return to the top tier of German ice hockey.
In the shootout, the 31-year-old—who, as usual, was cheered on by “Kahun, Kahun, Kahun” chants from the Munich fans—even added a converted penalty shot. “I don’t even know if I was as nervous before my first NHL game as I was today,” admitted our No. 21. “Even better than the goals and the win was the feeling of taking the ice here again in front of our fans. That was a great debut for me,” he gushed.
Wolfsburg’s Bobby Lynch also got off to a brilliant start. The forward racked up a whopping five points (two goals, three assists) in Cologne. With that, the American took the lead in the DEL scoring race.
Facts and Figures
In 89 games against the Grizzlys so far, the Red Bulls have come out on top 52 times (goal differential: 273–226). So the record clearly favors us.
But: Our guys know from past experience that games in Wolfsburg, in particular, are often close. Last season, we won 3–2 in a shootout on the banks of the Aller and lost 3–4. It was also a close game at the SAP Garden. Munich won 4–1 but also lost 5–7.
Match Day Info
As always, the game will be played at the Wolfsburg Eis Arena at Allerpark. If you can’t make it to the arena, you can also cheer on the Red Bulls together at the “Henry” restaurant in the SAP Garden during the public viewing. To coincide with the start of Oktoberfest the day before, on September 19, giant pretzels, Obazda, and Oktoberfest beer will be waiting for you.
The game will be broadcast on MagentaSport, and of course, we’ll be covering it as usual in the live blog on our website and in the app.
Mit Video
Victory in the season opener! Red Bulls Celebrate Shootout Win Against Mannheim// GAMEDAY
“Now the lights are coming on, and we're starting from scratch.”// STORIES
New Rules in the PENNY DEL for the 2026–27 Season // GAMEDAY