The polar bears sent an important signal in front of 10,518 spectators in the relegation battle. After four defeats in a row, the team beat the Kölner Haie 3-2 (1-1, 2-0, 0-1) and keep the Augsburger Panthers, who have played two games fewer, at a distance with seven points .
Compared to the 2: 3 against Red Bull Munich on Monday, when the polar bears were hopelessly overwhelmed for the first half hour, the first goal did not come after a few seconds, but only after four minutes by Nicholas Bailen in the majority. Nevertheless, the match plan was thrown overboard again early on. After the many defeats before, the pressure was noticeable on the Berliners to finally have to step off the ice as winners again. In the duel for 13th place, the air had recently become a little thinner again.
Augsburg scored two points in Wolfsburg (7-6 after extra time) on Monday and on Wednesday at home against Iserlohn (2-1 after extra time). In both games, the Swabians gave up a lead shortly before the end of regular time, which reveals the tension in the competitor.
Jonas Müller scores to equalize just before the first break
In any case, it was extremely important for the polar bears that Jonas Müller had managed to equalize to 1:1 shortly before the first break with a majority. Before that, the polar bears had achieved practically nothing, also because they missed countless pucks and umpteen passes did not reach the intended recipient. Cologne’s coach Uwe Krupp, whose plan had worked up to this point in time to unsettle the hosts to the maximum with a hit, looked correspondingly pissed off.
At the beginning of the middle period, the momentum of the equalizer could be felt in that Zach Boychuk only needed 100 seconds to put the Berliners 2-1 ahead for the first time. However, the short-term flow of the game came to a standstill again quite abruptly. Given that this team was playing their 37th game this season, the game seemed uncoordinated and following a clear line.
The people of Cologne, who are used to the Berliners, were once again a grateful opponent, because the Rhinelanders also made an amazingly turbulent appearance, so that the home side were even able to extend the lead because the power play worked again and Morgan Ellis just before the second break scored his first goal of the season.
In the early stages of the final third, Frank Mauer and Giovanni Fiore could have made things quite clear, but both missed their good chances. Nevertheless, the polar bears now seemed much more powerful and focused. Nevertheless, this game ended anything but relaxed, the numerous missed chances should almost take revenge. Just under two minutes before the final siren, Maximilian Kammerer reduced the lead to 2:3 for Cologne. But it should stay that way, which allowed three important points to be collected.
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