DEL preview, Matchday 3: Red Bull München welcomes the Augsburger Panther

Thursday, 18. September 2025 | DEL preview, Matchday 3: Red Bull München welcomes the Augsburger Panther

Derby time at SAP Garden! Red Bulls face AugsburgPokka is looking forward to his first DEL derby// DEL - PREVIEWThe 68th duel between EHC Red Bull München and the Augsburger Panthern will take place on the third match day of the current season. The opening face-off on Friday in front of a home crowd is at 7:30 p.m. (live on our blog).

The game against the Fuggerstadt team kicks off a Bavarian triple-header for the Red Bulls. On Sunday, we travel to the Pulverturm to face the Straubing Tigers, before the Upper Bavarian derby against ERC Ingolstadt is on the agenda next Thursday.

But first, the AEV is coming to our home turf. The home game against Augsburg is also the first Student Hockey Night of this still young season. That means students, trainees, and pupils over the age of 18 pay only €20 for a seat ticket, which also grants them free entry to the “089 Bar” after the game. They also get a free Red Bull Vodka at the club. You can find all further information here!

Lots of excitement: How our first home game of the new 2025/26 DEL season went

// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS

Note to all visitors to SAP Gardens on Friday evening: Due to a parallel event in the Olympic Park, we recommend traveling by public transport, as the parking lot will be exceptionally busy.

“We want to get the three points”

The record against the visitors looks promising from Munich's perspective, as we have won the last three derbies. Taro Hirose scored four points in those games. Unlike our forward, Ville Pokka was not involved last season. The Red Bulls' new defender is set to make his derby debut. “It's obviously an important game for us. We have to be ready and we want to get the three points,” emphasizes the 31-year-old.

Pokka himself has only been in Munich since last week, but already feels very much at home in the Bavarian capital. “I'm really enjoying it here so far. However, I'm still in the process of settling in properly,” says our new number 22.

Pokka impressed by Munich fans

With two assists in the 4-2 opening win in Cologne, Pokka collected two points in his first appearance for the four-time German champions. Unfortunately, the home game against Bremerhaven was less successful. “We took too many penalties in the first two games. But despite that, we played well within our system and performed as a team in which everyone supports each other. We want to build on that,” said the defensive specialist, summarizing the first DEL weekend.

Pokka was particularly impressed by his first home appearance at SAP Garden. “The fans were very loud and crazy, which is always fun. It was also very cool how the puck was brought onto the ice for the first face-off. It was very Red Bull-style,” said the Finn with a laugh. To explain: Just before the start of the game against the Penguins, Red Bull athlete Lennox Zimmermann brought the puck onto the ice with a spectacular backflip on his BMX.

A look at the Panthers

While our guys picked up three points from their first two games, the Augsburger Panther are still without a point under their new coach Bill Peters (who previously worked in the NHL for the Carolina Hurricanes and the Calgary Flames). They lost 1-3 to the Nürnberg Ice Tigers and, after leading 2-0, went on to lose 3-6 to the Adler Mannheim.

1/10

2/10

3/10

4/10

5/10

6/10

7/10

8/10

9/10

10/10

The last home derby against the AEV in pictures

The two new goalies, Michael Garteig (who came from Ingolstadt) and Peyton Jones (Vienna Capitals), took turns playing in both games. Madison Bowey and Kyle Mayhew, two import defenders from North America, also moved to Augsburg. Mayhew was recently voted “Defender of the Year” in the ECHL with 61 points in a Fort Wayne Komets jersey. Former Munich player Ryan Button also came from Wolfsburg.

In the summer, the Panthers brought last year's top scorer Alexandre Grenier (27 goals, 32 assists) from Cologne to Augsburg, and Tim Wohlgemuth also joined from the Sharks. Another new addition to the line-up is Alexander Blank (Düsseldorfer EG), who has already scored twice against Mannheim.

DEL record against Augsburg

Wins: 44

Losses: 23

Win percentage: 66 percent

Goal difference: 223:164

Last game: AEV vs. RBM 3:5

Last ten games: W W W L L L L W W W

Last ten home games: W L W W W W W L W