Title hat-trick beckons
Ice hockey octopus Niederberger snaps again
Mathias Niederberger put in a strong performance in goal for EHC Red Bull Munich. photo
© Daniel Löb/dpa
National goalkeeper Mathias Niederberger is developing into a championship guarantor in the DEL. On Sunday he can create the title hat-trick. He doesn’t want to waste a thought on it just yet.
Coach Don Jackson knew who to thank. “Congratulations to Mathias,” said the successful coach of EHC Red Bull Munich, meaning his goalkeeper Mathias Niederberger, of course.
With all his calm, sovereignty and class, the national goalkeeper is again the safe support in the championship final of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). He intercepted all shots in the 3-0 win over ERC Ingolstadt – and sometimes brought the outsider to the brink of despair.
Munich is now leading 3-1 in the series before the fifth final game on Sunday (2 p.m. / MagentaSport) in the Bavarian capital. It could be the last game of the season, because the EHC is only one win away from the title – for Munich it would be the first championship since 2018, for Niederberger the third triumph in a row. “That would mean a lot to me, but that’s not in my head at the moment. I won’t allow that because the series isn’t over yet,” said the 30-year-old, who won the championship in 2021 and 2022 with the Eisbären Berlin . According to his own statement, he showed the best performance of his career so far in the final against Munich in the decisive game last year.
Niederberger then moved to Munich last summer to continue his success story there. At least since the title triumphs with the polar bears, Niederberger has been considered the best goalkeeper in Germany. His mental strength in the important games sets him apart from other goalkeepers and players. Some observers recently complained that Niederberger is currently not as strong as usual. But in decisive games, the German number one then shows that there is no one better than him. Just like on Friday again.
Niederberger should be included in the national team squad for the World Cup in Finland and Latvia, which begins in May, if he doesn’t cancel. Two years ago, the native of Düsseldorf led the selection of the German Ice Hockey Federation to a strong fourth place. Because of his outstanding reflexes, he was then called the “Octopus of Riga”.
Despite his undoubtedly convincing performances in this year’s playoffs, hardly anyone had spoken about Niederberger in the past few days. Many only talked about the goalkeeper position in the final opponent from Ingolstadt. After the injury of first-choice goalkeeper Michael Garteig and the substitute keeper Kevin Reich, who fell ill in the meantime, the actual number three Jonas Stettmer has been in the ERC goal since the third final game. “We are so focused on ourselves because it takes so much concentration. You hardly look at the opponent anymore,” said Niederberger.
The goalie is now fully focused on the fifth final game on Sunday. Then Niederberger wants to win the championship with the EHC for the first time. “Yes, that is our absolute focus and our goal,” he said at MagentaSport. For Niederberger it would be the personal title hat-trick – and with his quality that doesn’t have to be the end of the series.