Ice Bears Berlin Return from International Break with Decisive Victory
After a brief pause for international play, the Eisbären Berlin made a triumphant return to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) with a resounding 10-2 victory over the Düsseldorfer EG on Wednesday evening. The German champions solidified their second-place position in the standings with a dominant performance that saw them outscore their opponents by a staggering margin.
The hosts, cheered on by a enthusiastic crowd of 12,539 at the Arena am Ostbahnhof, got off to a blistering start with Ty Ronning finding the net just 34 seconds into the game. Berlin continued to dominate the early stages, with Liam Kirk extending their lead on a power play in the eighth minute. Eric Hördler then capped off a brilliant individual effort with a solo goal just four minutes later, and Frederik Tiffels added another tally just 24 seconds after that.
The Ice Bears remained in control after the first intermission, with goals from Korbinian Geibel, Lean Bergmann, and Marcel Noebels extending their advantage to 7-0 before Alexander Blank managed to put the Düsseldorfer EG on the board in the 35th minute. Ronning quickly restored Berlin’s seven-goal lead, but Laurin Braun pulled one back for the visitors just three minutes later.
Despite their commanding lead, the Ice Bears maintained their high tempo in the final period, with Leonhard Pföderl and Tiffels adding goals in the 52nd and 57th minutes, respectively, to make it a double-digit victory.
Dominant Performance in All Aspects
The Ice Bears were superior to their opponents in every facet of the game. Their defense was impenetrable, allowing only two goals on 31 shots. Goaltender Mathias Niederberger made several key saves to preserve the shutout until the final minutes of the game.
Offensively, Berlin was relentless, firing 43 shots on goal. Ronning and Tiffels led the way with two goals each, while Kirk, Hördler, Geibel, Bergmann, Noebels, and Pföderl all contributed to the scoring.
Statement of Intent
This victory sends a clear message to the rest of the DEL that the Ice Bears are a force to be reckoned with this season. They have now won four of their last five games and are just one point behind league leaders EHC Red Bull München.
With a deep and talented roster, the Ice Bears have the potential to challenge for the championship. Their next test will come on Saturday when they travel to face the third-place Adler Mannheim.
