Anthony Romano and Ty Glover each scored twice, while Cameron Brace sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
A High-Stakes Dress Rehearsal on the Main
Pre-season friendlies often serve as tactical laboratories, but Friday night’s clash carried a sharper competitive edge. Both clubs stepped onto the ice inside the Frankfurt Eissporthalle looking to iron out final mechanical flaws before the official league puck drop. Even so, the hosts delivered an encouraging performance against an Ingolstadt side that finished fifth in the previous DEL regular season.
Frankfurt seized the initiative early. Just four minutes into the contest, American newcomer Anthony Romano converted setup play from Daniel Pfaffengut and Austin Wagner to break the deadlock. A brief wave of home celebration followed shortly after when Michael Joyaux found the net from the blue line following a feed from Sebastian Uba. However, the officiating crew disallowed the marker due to Matthew Wedman being caught in the goal crease.
Momentum Shifts and Physical Escalation in the Second Frame
Ingolstadt weathered the early storm and equalized in the 12th minute when Alex Breton solved Löwen goaltender Adam Scheel. The visitors nearly capitalized further when Jakin Smallwood broke away on a clear path to the Frankfurt cage, only to lose control of the puck just as Michael Joyaux rushed back to disrupt the play. But the real volatility arrived in the middle period, as the contest accelerated in both pace and physical intensity.
Reflecting the rising tension, a major flashpoint erupted in the 28th minute. Björn Krupp delivered a heavy check into the boards against Ingolstadt youngster Paul Vinzens, leaving the forward momentarily grounded. Morgan Ellis immediately intervened on behalf of his teammate, squaring off with Krupp in a spirited fight that earned both players early exits. Krupp absorbed a five-minute penalty for fighting alongside an additional five-minute major and a game misconduct for checking from behind. Vinzens required assistance leaving the ice surface.
Special Teams Turbulence and Closing Execution
Despite losing Krupp and weathering extended penalty trouble, Frankfurt found a way to tilt the ice back in their favor. Ty Glover—elevated to the top attacking unit alongside Brandon Biro and Markus Schweiger—ignited the turnaround in the 34th minute. Capitalizing on a pass from Biro, Glover beat newly inserted Ingolstadt netminder Jonas Stettmer. Just three minutes later, Noah Dunham spotted Glover in the high slot, allowing the forward to rifle a wrist shot into the far corner for a 3-2 lead heading into the second intermission.
| Metric / Event | Löwen Frankfurt | ERC Ingolstadt |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 5 | 3 |
| Multi-Goal Scorers | Anthony Romano, Ty Glover | Alex Breton (2 goals) |
| Empty-Net Closers | Cameron Brace (59th minute) | None |
| Goaltending Deployment | Adam Scheel | Starting Goalie & Jonas Stettmer |
Securing the Final Pre-Season Result
As the game entered the final stanza, Ingolstadt pressed hard for an equalizer, forcing Adam Scheel into several crucial saves. But Frankfurt’s disciplined structure held firm under late pressure. With the visitors pulling their goaltender in search of a miracle score, Cameron Brace collected the puck and calmly slotted it into the empty cage in the final minute to cement the 5-3 scoreline.
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