Munich, Germany - In mid-week action in the DEL, the Kölner Haie got upset by the thriving Krefeld Pinguine but bounced back with a win over Schwenningen that moved them to the top of the table again. Elsewhere, the Hamburg Freezers squandered a two-goal third-period lead to allow Düsseldorf a come-from-behind win.

Minnesota Wild draftee Christoph Brandner had two goals as the Krefeld Pinguine beat the Kölner Haie 4-2 (2-0, 1-1, 1-1) Tuesday night. Although Cologne played quite well, individual mistakes turned out to be crucial. Only four minutes into the game, a lapse by Haie netminder Chris Rogles led to Günter Oswald’s goal. Brandner doubled the lead late in the first. A powerplay goal from Alex Hicks had the Haie back on track, but another costly turnover killed the momentum. With three minutes to go in the middle frame, defenseman Shane Peacock mishandled the puck. Skating in all alone on the net, Pinguine forward David Musial re-installed Krefeld’s two-goal lead. Brandner’s second tally of the night put the game out of reach midway through the final period.

Haie lose Pasco, bounce back from loss

Adding injury to insult, forward Ron Pasco, who had reconstructive knee surgery last year, suffered a severe hamstring strain and has to undergo operation on Friday. The 30-year-old is expected to miss two to three months.

Cologne bounced back 48 hours later, though. Robert Hock scored back-to-back goals in the final period as the Haie defeated the last-place Schwenningen Wild Wings 3-1 (0-0, 1-0, 2-1). In a tight contest, Dave McLlwain broke the deadlock with only 35 seconds to go in the second period. Hock’s two goals put the game out of reach before Schwenningen’s Paul Brosseau ruined Chris Rogles’s shutout bid.

The win moves Cologne back into first place in the standings, two points ahead of the Berlin Eisbären, who have five games in hand, though.

Third home game: Hamburg’s streak ends

Jeff Christian scored with only 25 seconds to go in regulation and Marc Beaucage converted the winning penalty shot in the ensuing OT shootout as the Düsseldorfer EG Metro Stars came from behind to edge the Hamburg Freezers on the road 5-4 (2-2, 0-2, 2-0, 1-0). Hamburg seemed to be in control after second-period strikes from Mike Stevens and Jesse Belanger (powerplay). The Freezers failed to put the game away, though, and a powerplay tally from Beaucage and Christian’s last-gasp tally sent the contest into OT.

The loss not only ended Hamburg’s four-game unbeaten streak, but also marked their first-ever defeat in the newly-built Color Line Arena.