As of: 04/23/2023 4:33 p.m
Red Bull Munich is back on the German ice hockey throne. After five years of waiting, the leader of the main round celebrated his fourth title in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL), almost as expected. In the gripping fifth playoff final game, the team of record coach Don Jackson on Sunday (04/23/236) managed a 3:1 (1:1, 0:0, 2:0) against the Bavarian rival ERC Ingolstadt and thus the decisive victory for the 4 :1 in the “best of seven” series.
“Incredible! Beautiful! It doesn’t feel real yet. We’re just celebrating now. The last final is usually the most difficult one,” said Fredrik Tiffels at MagentaSport.
Eder redeems the Munich
With his fourth playoff goal in the majority (52nd), Andreas Eder triggered the hoped-for rapture among the Munich team and their fans in the sold-out hall, Filip Varejcka eliminated the last doubts with a shot into the empty goal (59th). In a hard-fought game, Ty Ronning had given Ingolstadt the lead with his first goal in the final series (7th), Maximilian Kastner scored the equalizer (13th).
The Munich team had won their previous three titles with a hat-trick in the years 2016 to 2018, even then under the successful coach Jackson. The Canadian, once a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Edmonton Oilers, was head coach for the Eisbären Berlin’s five championships between 2008 and 2013. Defending champion Berlin had not been able to qualify for the play-offs.
Niederberger celebrates third title
National goalkeeper Mathias Niederberger celebrated his third championship in a row. The 30-year-old from Düsseldorf had won the silver cup with the Eisbären in the past two years and was also a strong support in his first season in Munich.
In final game three (3:4) Niederberger didn’t look good with the decisive goals. This time, after five good opening minutes for his team, he gave the Ingolstadt team the opening goal: Ronning scored his sixth goal in the play-offs from an almost impossible angle.
Maximilian Kastner – first penalty, then goal
What followed was a first small brawl after Maximilian Kastner fouled Ingolstadt’s Wojciech Stachowiak – and shortly after the end of his penalty time, the equalizer: by Kastner. After that, the Munich team dominated the game for long stretches. Young goalkeeper Jonas Stettmer, who had helped Ingolstadt win game three, was increasingly in the spotlight.
However, the 21-year-old did an excellent job again, especially in a 4:3 majority game in the middle of the second period, he reacted splendidly several times. In addition, the people in front threw themselves into the shots with passion. Up to that point, the guests had hardly managed to score their own goals, but then they suddenly turned up the heat – also benefiting from Munich’s penalties.
Schanzer can’t get through
It was particularly difficult for the hosts before and after the second period break, when they were down for more than five minutes, even three against five for more than a minute. However, the Schanzer hardly fired a shot, and when they did, Niederberger saved. After that, an open exchange of blows developed, in which Eder finally became a hero.
Last year’s finalist Munich entered its sixth series of finals with victories against the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (4:2) and the Grizzlys Wolfsburg (4:3). The main round leader laid the foundation for the early win of the fourth title in the final games one, two and four. Ingolstadt, surprisingly second in the preliminary round, had only managed one win in the third game in Munich.
Source: sportschau.de