Saturday, 14. March 2026 |
DEL Preview, Matchday 52: EHC Red Bull München visits Eisbären Berlin
And the game in the capital will definitely determine from which position in the standings we’ll start the playoffs with a home game at SAP Garden on March 24 or 25. From fourth to second place, anything is still possible. You can find all the information about ticket sales for the two confirmed home games in the quarterfinals (March 24/25 and 29) here.
A Look at the Current Standings
The Kölner Haie remain at the top of the standings with 113 points. They are followed by the Straubing Tigers (101 points), the Adler Mannheim, and the Red Bulls (100 points each). For the first time in league history, four teams have broken the 100-point mark after 52 regular-season games. And thanks to our historic derby victory, Mannheim is only ahead of us because they have a goal differential that is just one goal better.
Highlights: EHC Red Bull München vs. Straubing Tigers (13.03.2026)
// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS
Straubing hosts the Kölner Haie at home on Sunday, while Mannheim welcomes the Schwenninger Wild Wings. Finishing in second place would mean direct qualification for the Champions League next season; this would also be possible if we finish third. If we finish fourth, we’d have to win the title to secure a Champions League spot. By the way: Even if we lose to the Eisbären, we could theoretically still climb in the standings.
A Clear Goal in Sight
But our guys don’t want to get caught up in any math games anyway. Instead, the focus is on carrying the momentum from Friday night. “We want to do our homework and follow up with another win in Berlin,” emphasized Konrad Abeltshauser. But of course: “It’s still very tight at the top; we absolutely want to qualify for the Champions League on the final matchday,” our defenseman made clear.
Chris DeSousa, who scored a hat trick against Straubing just like Yasin Ehliz, was already looking ahead to Sunday. “We still have a chance to climb two spots, but we can’t control it. We want to win in Berlin and then we’ll see what happens,” said the Canadian, adding: “In the end, we’ll make the playoffs and we’ll be ready for any team we face.”
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Unser letztes Hauptrunden-Heimspiel der Saison 2025/26 in Bildern (13.03.2026)
Key Wins for “a Good Feeling”
Our guys were already in top playoff form on Friday in the derby. After scoring early goals, Coach Oliver David’s team pulled away and routed the Tigers with a 10-1 blowout victory at the sold-out SAP Garden. Prior to that, Straubing had won nine games in a row. “It was crazy; derby wins are always a highlight. That it turned out to be such a lopsided victory is great for us and our fans,” Abeltshauser said happily.
The early lead and the start of the second period were particularly decisive. “When you score early, it gives you momentum. It was also very important that we scored the first goal right after the first intermission.” Despite their commanding lead, the Red Bulls remained focused for nearly the entire game, leaving the visitors without a single chance.
With this, we’ve once again sent a message to the competition just before the start of the “most exciting” time of the year. “At the end of the day, you just want to feel good and know that you can beat the top teams. And also that you can win games that aren’t going your way,” emphasized the native Bavarian. We’ve shown both of those things often enough this season.
Highlights: Eisbären Berlin vs. EHC Red Bull München (November 21, 2025)
// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS
Berlin's Engine Is Gaining Steam
The Eisbären have also really picked up steam in recent weeks following a difficult regular season. The defending champions have won four straight games and, sitting in sixth place (82 points), are still battling the Pinguins Bremerhaven (80) for a direct spot in the quarterfinals. So there’s still a lot at stake for Head Coach Serge Aubin’s team on Sunday. On Friday night, Berlin beat the Adler Mannheim 4-2. It seems, then, that the capital city team has found its top form just in time for crunch time.
Uber Arena: A Friendly Venue
All three matchups against Berlin this season have been fiercely contested as usual. Munich won the first game at home 3-2, while the Eisbären secured a 3-1 victory. Berlin, however, took three points from the Bavarian capital with a 3-2 win in their last meeting. Now we’re aiming for our fourth consecutive victory at the Uber Arena across both seasons.
Last in power play despite plenty of quality
For this to succeed, Liam Kirk must be stopped above all else. The Brit, who has scored in ten consecutive games—setting an Eisbären record—is the PENNY DEL’s leading scorer with 32 goals.
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The game at Eisbären Berlin in pictures
Key players like forward Ty Ronning and the two DEB defensemen and Olympians Kai Wissmann and Jonas Müller have also been in good form in recent weeks. Defenseman Les Lancaster, the former Munich player who continues to play on the offensive line, has scored two goals recently. It’s hard to believe that, given their high quality, Berlin has the league’s least effective power play, with a success rate of just 15.8 percent.
Goaltender Jake Hildebrand, defenseman Mitch Reinke, and forward Lean Bergmann are expected to be out of the lineup due to injury. For the two offensive players, Blaine Byron and Patrick Khodorenko, the season is already over.
DEL Record Against Berlin
Wins: 48
Losses: 35
Win Percentage: 58 percent
Goal Difference: 258:223
Last Game: RBM vs. EBB 2:3
Last Ten Games: L L L L W W L W W L
Last Ten Away Games: W W L W W L L W W W
Mit Video
Record-breaking win over Straubing: Red Bulls secure home-ice advantage in the quarterfinals// DEL - GAME REPORT
Smits: “Hockey will always be the priority”// INTERVIEW
Mit Video
Back in action: goal scorer DeSousa returns to the office// NEWS