Munich, Germany - It seems like the DEL just cannot go half a year without producing negative headlines: Less than six-months after the disputed relocation of the Munich Barons and the collapse of three franchises, new trouble is on the way: On-ice action of gameday 22 was overshadowed by news that the Schwenningen Wild Wings are on the verge of being kicked out of the league because of huge financial problems. The last-place team presented itself in good shape though on its trip to the nation’s capital, giving the second-place Berlin Eisbären a hard time. Elsewhere, championship coach Rich Chernomaz celebrated a successful return to the league.

With their club’s future in jeopardy, the Schwenningen Wild Wings showed great poise in Berlin Thursday night. During the week, the front office had confirmed reports that the club might have to file for insolvency soon. Under league rules, the Wild Wings would be suspended from league competition immidiately. Obviously fired-up by the akward circumstances, Schwenningen jumped out to a 3-1 lead over the heavily-favored Eisbären behind goals from Vadym Slivchenko, Francois Fortier and Alexander Dück. Led by two scores from Kelly Fairchild, Berlin rallied back, though. Three unanswered second-period tallies gave the Eisbären a 4-3 lead at the second intermission. However, Schwenningen kept the game on the line and Eisbären goalie Oliver Jonas had to come up with a big save in the waning seconds as his team hung on for a 4-3 (1-2, 3-1, 0-0) win.

Andy Roach notched the game-winning penalty shot as the Mannheim Adler recorded a hard-fought 3-2 (0-0, 1-1, 1-1, 1-0) OT home win over the Kassel Huskies Friday. Mike Kennedy had a goal and an assist for the Adler who came from behind to take a 2-1 lead with 7:15 remaining in the final period. A late powerplay goal from Andi Loth sent the game into the shootout contest, though..

Lebeau’s good debut not enough for tame Lions, Krefeld routs Hannover

Dave McLlwain scored a goal and an assist as the Kölner Haie rallied back from a deficit twice to beat the Nuremberg Ice Tigers on the road, 3-2 (0-1, 3-1). Nuremberg started out well, but lack of depth killed the injury-riddled team yet again. Cologne had the game under control after Andreas Morczinietz made it 3-2 with just over a minute left in the middle frame.

The surprising Iserlohn Roosters stayed in fifth place with a convincing 4-1 (2-0, 1-1, 1-0) road win over the slumping Frankfurt Lions. Doug Ast, Christian Hommel (shorthanded), Steve Washburn and Igor Alexandrov scored for Iserlohn, while Frankfurt got its only tally from newly-signed Pat Lebeau.

Günter Oswald had four points and Patrick Augusta scored a pair of goals and a helper as the thriving Krefeld Pinguine lit up the scoreboard against the Hanover Scorpions, 8-1 (1-0, 4-0, 3-1). Matthias Lööf scored Hannover’s only goal on the man advantage, denying Robert Müller’s shutout bid with just 19 seconds left in the game.

Championship coach celebrates successful comeback

It took more than a 60-minute effort, but the arrival of new head coach Rich Chernomaz obviously sparked the troubled Augsburg Panthers. Sergej Vostrikov scored the late equalizer and Philippe Audet converted the winning penalty shot as Augsburg snapped its 11-game losing streak, downing local rival ERC Ingolstadt after shootout, 2-1 (0-1, 0-0, 1-0, 1-0) Saturday afternoon. Chernomaz had led the Kölner Haie’s surprising championship run last season.

With just over a minute to go in the first period, Glen Goodall got Ingolstadt on the scoreboard, redirecting Kent Fearns blast from the right point on the powerplay past Panthers goalie Magnus Eriksson. Augsburg managed to hang in the game, though. After pulling Eriksson for an extra attacker, the Panthers came up with the deserved equalizer 69 seconds from the final horn when Sergej Vostrikov’s wrister from the blueline sailed past well-screened netminder Ilpo Kauhanen, sending the contest into OT.