Season opener within the DEL: Extra sharks should not broken anyplace

The primary three matchdays within the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) are over and the outcomes haven’t come as a shock, though one factor is astonishing: the Cologne Sharks are main the best way. After two residence wins in a row, Uwe Krupp’s group managed a 5-2 away win in opposition to champions RB Munich on Friday.

The Kölner Haie have been the benchmark in each respect to this point; along with the standings, one other quantity can be constant. 18,372 spectators got here to the Cologne Area for the primary residence sport in opposition to Ingolstadt, 17,204 followers then watched the sport in opposition to Nuremberg and on Sunday in opposition to the beforehand pointless Düsseldorfer EG the derby was anticipated to be much more crowded (2 p.m., dwell on Magentasport).

Issues aren’t wanting so good for champions Munich beneath new coach Toni Söderholm after two defeats in a row and solely 4 factors – though Mannheim and Cologne had been additionally the latest opponents. Munich defender Ryan McKiernan mentioned after the defeat in opposition to the Haie: “Typically a bumpy begin is usually a good expertise. We are going to reply as a group. The higher group received immediately, however we received’t permit as many probabilities sooner or later and can function higher in our system.”

In the meantime, issues are going very well at McKiernan’s former employer, the Eisbären. On Friday, the Berliners received 4-1 in Augsburg and now have eight factors of their account as undefeated second within the desk. Lean Bergmann made his debut within the Eisbären jersey on the away sport in Swabia, and the previous nationwide participant additionally scored immediately. “However extra necessary than my purpose are the three factors we obtained,” mentioned Bergmann, “and now we now have to beat Mannheim.”

The Berliners’ sport in opposition to the Adlers is on Sunday (2 p.m., dwell on Magentasport); the Mannheimers have already scored six factors and will definitely be a harder job for Bergmann’s group.

However earlier than we begin chasing factors, the Berliners will hear one thing in Mannheim. They in all probability received’t be capable to see the brand new trailer earlier than the groups arrive, however that doesn’t matter. They might not all be capable to perceive it anyway, as a result of there’s a whole lot of native colour in it. “Our new trailer is right here, and for the primary time it’s one hundred pc Monnemer. Extra monnem warschd nowhereerschd,” says the DEL membership in its new introductory movie.