Friday, 04. September 2026 |
Warrior Cup - Preview: Red Bull München Takes on Host ESV Kaufbeuren
Our Form
With their tournament victory at the South Tyrol Summer Classic last weekend in Bolzano, the Red Bulls not only claimed their first minor title of the season but also demonstrated their strong early-season form. And it seems that the final period, in particular, has been going especially well for us so far.
In both the 4-2 victory over the top Swiss team, Lausanne HC, and the 2-1 win in the final against Bolzano, our guys mounted a comeback in the third period to pull out close games. As a reminder, this was already the case against Linz (5–2) and Pardubice (3–2) a few weeks ago. “We stay calm even under pressure and don’t lose our structure. That’s how we always give ourselves a chance to turn games around,” says Oliver David, explaining the comeback victories.
It’s also worth noting that we remain undefeated after 60 minutes in five preseason games so far and have never conceded more than two goals. We can definitely build on that. “We’ve already implemented our game plan well, and the new players are fitting in better and better,” our head coach says, offering an initial positive assessment. “Now it’s about continuing to work on the chemistry on the ice.”
Incidentally, our team is heading to the Warrior Cup with fond memories. Last year, Munich won the tournament. First, we defeated the Glasgow Clan 5–2, and in the final, we secured a 3–2 victory over the Nuremberg Ice Tigers.
Highlights: HC Bozen vs. EHC Red Bull München (30.08.2026)
// HIGHLIGHTS
The Opponent
The next opportunity to work on the finer points comes against ESV Kaufbeuren. Finishing last in the standings, the Allgäu-based team lost to the Blue Devils Weiden (2–4) in last year’s DEL2 playdowns and were thus forced to make the bitter descent to the Oberliga. Above all, their vulnerable defense (204 goals allowed, a negative goal differential) was a real problem.
But that’s water under the bridge; the team is now set on an immediate return to the DEL2. The club has signed Sebastian Buchwieser, the “2025 DEL2 Coach of the Year”; the 46-year-old from Garmisch-Partenkirchen is tasked with building a top-tier team. To that end, two players who were still active in the PENNY DEL last season—defenseman Max Renner (most recently with the Augsburger Panther) and forward Andrew Yogan (Dresdner Eislöwen, 13 points)—joined the ESVK over the summer.
During preseason, the Jokers have so far played two exhibition games against DEL2 newcomer ECDC Memmingen (a 6-5 win in a shootout and a 1-5 loss).
The Matchup
Against Kaufbeuren, our guys want to move the puck well, continue working on converting chances, and thus turn their dominance into goals. The Jokers, on the other hand, will try to land quick, decisive strikes and find success through counterattacks. “We also want to continue implementing our six-week preseason plan through to the end. Our focus is on preparing ourselves physically and mentally for the DEL opener against Mannheim,” emphasizes our head coach.
The second game the following day will also serve this purpose—either against the Belfast Giants or HC Ambri-Piotta. Both teams will play the first semifinal right before us and, depending on the outcome of their respective games on Sunday, will face the Red Bulls.
Belfast plays in the British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) and entered the playoffs last season as the league leader. However, the team led by former pro and coach Adam Keefe was eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Glasgow Clan. The top scorer was Mike Lee, a defenseman (13 goals, 39 assists). The American even became the league’s top-scoring defenseman and continues to lead the offensive play of the three-time British champions.
Competing in the top Swiss league is HC Ambri-Piotta—best known for its passionate fans. There, head coach Jussi Tapola—who won the World Championship this year as an assistant coach with Finland—and his team secured their place in the league during the playouts after finishing 13th in the regular season. The team from northern Ticino dominated HC Ajoie in four games (4–0)—a satisfying conclusion to a turbulent season.
While the team’s most dangerous forward, Chris DiDomenico (41 points), left the club back in March, Nate Schnarr is new to the roster. The Canadian came over from the Kölner Haie, where he most recently impressed with 44 points in the PENNY DEL. Czech player Petr Kodýtek (who came from HIFK Helsinki) also brings scoring power to the team. However, the two most important players are the defensemen Jesse Virtanen (currently injured) and Swedish national team player Tim Heed. Both log an enormous amount of ice time.
Player in the Spotlight
With his late equalizer and the assist on the game-winning goal by Markus Eisenschmid, Yasin Ehliz played a decisive role in the team’s victory at the Südtirol Summer Classic against Bolzano. Our No. 42 (who has already scored three goals in preseason) also initiated many other offensive plays and was a key factor in Munich’s comeback. His chemistry with Dominik Kahun and Jeremy McKenna is getting better and better.
Facts and Figures
The matchups between Munich and Kaufbeuren have a long tradition dating back to when both teams were in the second division. Between 2005 and 2010, the two teams faced off 14 times. We won eight of those games, while the team from Wertach came out on top six times.
Match Day Info
For the 2026 Warrior Cup, the Energie Schwaben Arena in Kaufbeuren—which seats over 3,000 spectators—will once again open its doors. Single-day tickets are available here or at the box office on site.
In addition, all games will be broadcast via a paid livestream on SpradeTV —and, of course, we’ll be covering the action as usual in the live blog on our website.
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Title at the South Tyrol Summer Classic: Red Bulls Defeat Hosts Bolzano// GAMEDAY