The celebrations will come later
If we kick off the first quarterfinal against ERC Ingolstadt on March 24 with a win, don’t be surprised if our guys don’t break into a “Humba” in front of the fan section right after the game. And our goalies won’t be dancing either. The Red Bulls will likely head straight to the locker room after a quick greeting. After all, preparations for the next match two days later will begin right then.
In the playoffs, celebrating together with the fans doesn’t happen until the end of a series—in the best-case scenario, that is, once we’ve secured a spot in the semifinals. The fans, however, aren’t prohibited from celebrating. If you want to be there live at SAP Garden, you still have a chance. Although Game 3 of the quarterfinal series next Sunday (7:00 p.m.) is already sold out, tickets are still available for Tuesday’s game (7:00 p.m.). So: Get your tickets now and be there as we kick off the hottest phase of the season. “Sudden Death” Decides
If the score is tied after 60 minutes, there will no longer be a five-minute overtime period followed by a shootout in the playoffs. Instead, the ice is resurfaced, and play continues five-on-five. The game continues in additional “periods” of 20 minutes each until one team scores and wins. For you, that means: Be sure to bring plenty of time with you to our games. Because they could turn into all-nighters.
Incidentally, the longest DEL game in history to date was the third quarterfinal matchup on March 22, 2008, between the Kölner Haie and the Adler Mannheim. Former Munich player Philip Gogulla scored the game-winning goal for the Kölner Haie in the sixth overtime period, 168 minutes and 16 seconds into the game, shortly after midnight.
Fun fact: Due to the game’s enormous length, the players were supplied with pizza and energy bars from nearby gas stations during the breaks to replenish their energy reserves. As you can see, that’s part of what makes the playoffs so special.
