The Drama of DEL2: Ice, Heat, and Everything in Between

Well, well, well, if it isn’t another thrilling Sunday in the DEL2, and boy, was it a rollercoaster! We had goals flying in like confused pigeons at a wedding, and a few “surprise, surprise!” moments that even the most seasoned fans didn’t see coming. I mean, who knew a sports derby could be this dramatic? Move over EastEnders; we’ve got our own soap opera on ice!

Joyful Roars from the Ice Lions

Let’s kick off with the Dresden Ice Lions, who sent their fans into a frothing frenzy after clinching a nail-biting victory against the Lausitzer Füchse. With a crowd of 4,412 holding their breath like they were about to dive into a chilly swimming pool, Drew LeBlanc swooped in to save the day with a stellar goal in the final minute. Talk about a finish! Just as everyone got comfortable in their seats for overtime, LeBlanc decided to shove that idea right out the window. Who needs overtime, eh?

Crimmitschau’s Clear Conquest

Meanwhile, the Kellerkind Crimmitschau thought they’d bring in a little “shock and awe” tactic against the champions from Regensburg, wrapping them up with a 6-1 scoreline. It was a performance so dominant you’d think Regensburg had left their best defenders at home to binge-watch reality TV. With only four defenders, it was less a game and more a charity match! How do you expect to keep a lid on a scoring frenzy with that kind of lineup? Hats off to Crimmitschau, though; they’ve clearly got their eyes on the prize!

Drama in Ravouring Ravensburg

In the hallowed grounds of Ravensburg, the Selber Wölfe tried to mount a comeback against the home team, but let’s face it, they were still backseat drivers for most of the game. Even with the score at 3-4, the poor Wölfe couldn’t catch a break—like trying to chase a bus that just left the stop! Richard Gelke even made his frustration known with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Ah, nothing says “I’m upset” quite like a trip to the penalty box!

Renewed Energy and Overtime Surprises

Now, what’s more child’s play than ice hockey? How about the flinging of points in overtime! This week, Kaufbeuren and Krefeld decided to keep us on our toes, with both teams pulling off last-minute victories that felt like they were scripted for a Hollywood blockbuster. Krefeld had to pull off some serious magic to seal a 6-5 victory in Weiden after trailing 5-2. It’s moments like this that make you question if players are secretly Jedi Knights!

In a twist so shocking, even the writers for Game of Thrones would be jealous, Bad Nauheim found themselves level on points at the bottom of the league… joy!

The Cherry on Top

As for Freiburg, oh dear! After parting ways with coach Timo Saarikoski, it seems they’ve slipped down the ice faster than a kid on a sloped driveway. A robust 3-0 loss to Landshut left them feeling about as despairing as someone who just found out their favorite ice cream flavor is out of stock. But not all was lost for Landshut’s young star, Philipp Dietl, who notched up a shutout. Meanwhile, Jamal Watson scored a goal that could only be described as *chef’s kiss* for Kaufbeuren, who just barely got away with a win. Ah, hockey—the sport that keeps on giving!

So there you have it! Another action-packed Sunday in the DEL2, where emotions were high, victories were snatched, and players made headlines—even if it was for all the wrong reasons. If this is how December is shaping up, I think we’re in for an ice-cold thrill ride that can only warm the hearts of the eager fans.

Until next time, keep your skates sharp and your ice cold!

Written by: Sebastian Groß/Tim Heß

The Dresden Ice Lions players shout out their joy at the derby win against Weißwasser.
Photo: Thomas Heide

Three crime thrillers and a landslide victory – that was the result of Sunday afternoon in the DEL2. While Kellerkind Crimmitschau sent the defensively decimated champions from Regensburg home 6-1, Ravensburg, Dresden and Rosenheim were each happy about very narrow home victories, which were enough for three points each. In the evening, Kaufbeuren (3:2 against Bad Nauheim) and Krefeld (6:5 in Weiden) prevailed in extra time. After parting ways with coach Timo Saarikoski, Freiburg remained without a point in the 3-0 defeat against league leaders Landshut.

Drew LeBlanc made the Eislöwen fans cheer at the sold-out home derby against the Lausitzer Füchse on Sunday. With his goal in the final minute, the former DEL scorer gave the home team three points when many of the 4,412 fans in the JOYNEXT Arena had already prepared for overtime. The Lausitzers had previously had an answer to the Ice Lions’ lead twice, but with only 35 seconds left on the clock, the mass was over after falling behind for the third time.

The biggest surprise of the match day came from Starbulls Rosenheim, who won 3-2 at home against Kassel. The hosts came back from a deficit twice and turned the game around with two goals from Travis Ewanyk and Stefan Reiter in the final period. Meanwhile, the Selber Wölfe’s race to catch up in Ravensburg was not rewarded. The visitors’ 1:4 deficit after almost 25 minutes of play was ultimately too big a burden; the Wolves only managed to get within 3:4 and had to leave the three points behind in Upper Swabia. The frustration was expressed, among other things, in a game-time disciplinary penalty against Richard Gelke for unsportsmanlike behavior (60th).

The Ice Pirates Crimmitschau achieved the clearest victory of the afternoon in a duel with champions Regensburg. The West Saxons seem to have gotten back on track thanks to the overtime success in Krefeld on Friday. In the 6-1 win over the Upper Palatinate team, not only did backup Christian Schneider shine again, but the offensive also picked up speed this time. Goldhelm Tobias Lindberg as well as other top performers such as Scott Feser and Colin Smith, who returned from injury, were on the scorers list. To classify the result, it is important to know that the guests lined up with only four (!) nominal defenders.

No direct effect after Timo Saarikoski was released from EHC Freiburg. Under the leadership of sports director Peter Salmik, the Breisgauer remained offensively pale and lost to league leaders Landshut 0-3. EVL youngster Philipp Dietl was pleased with a 32-save shutout. Another overtime defeat was suffered by EC Bad Nauheim, who are now level on points with bottom club Crimmitschau thanks to the 2:3 in Kaufbeuren. When Jamal Watson scored the game-winning goal – seven seconds before the end of extra time – ECN defender Bode Wilde didn’t cut a good figure. New signing Henri Kanninen made a good impression with two assists in his second appearance for the Red Devils.

Bitter for Weiden: The promoted team gave up a 5-2 lead against Krefeld after 40 minutes. Max Newton (54th), David Cerny (56th) and Matt Marcinew (60th) turned up the heat in the final phase. Marcinew even scored the equalizer “twice” – in the first attempt, a goal from the Canadian (scored with his skate) was disallowed. In overtime, offensive defender Davis Vandane successfully completed the Penguins’ comeback.

Sebastian Groß/Tim Heß