Munich, Germany - Gameday 28 saw the league lead change yet again. The Kölner Haie stopped the striking Frankfurt Lions while the Berlin Eisbären squandered a two-goal advantage and first place against the struggling Hannover Scorpions Friday night. Elsewhere, goalies Frederic Chabot and Rich Parent recorded perfect nights returning from long injury breaks.

Andreas Morczinietz and Eduard Lewandowski scored third-period goals to lift the Kölner Haie to a 5-3 (2-1, 1-1, 2-1) home win over the Frankfurt Lions. The defeat marked Frankfurt’s first loss after five straight victories.

The Hannover Scorpions snapped their eight-game losing streak with a come-from behind win over the Berlin Eisbären. Gilbert Dionne and Len Soccio each tallied two assists as the Scorpions rallied from a two-goal deficit to knock Berlin out of first place, winning 4-3 (1-2, 1-1, 1-0) after penalty shootout. Leading 3-1 early in the middle frame after tallies from Yvon Corriveau, Mark Beaufait and Boris Blank, the Eisbären seemed to be in control. Steve Wilson’s surprising strike with 29 seconds left in the period got Hannover back into the game, though. The Scorpions picked it up where they had left before the intermission: 51 seconds into the final period, Jakob Karlsson scored the equalizer. Berlin started to press, but did not manage to get the puck past Scorpions netminder Verner again. Veteran Wally Schreiber sealed Hannover’s victory, scoring the-winning conversion in the OT penalty shootout.

Goalies celebrate successful comebacks

In his first game back from injury, Rich Parent recorded a shutout as the Kassel Huskies downed ailing ERC Ingolstadt 1-0 (1-0, 0-0, 0-0) at home. Although Kassel had many quality scoring opportunities, Doug Derraugh’s tally midway through the opening period remained the only goal of the night. Ingolstadt registered its fifth loss in a row.

Returning from a four-month injury break, Nuremberg’s Frederic Chabot also got a shutout as the Ice Tigers blanked the Iserlohn Roosters 1-0 (0-0, 1-0, 0-0). Thomas Schinko scored the game-winner halfway through the middle frame, knocking home the rebound after a solo effort from youngster Benjamin Barz.

Gary Shuchuk had a shorthanded goal and an assist and Dan Lambert converted the winning penalty shot as the Krefeld Pinguine gave new head coach Butch Goring a successful home debut, edging the DEG Metro Stars 3-2 (0-0, 1-0, 1-2) after shootout. Krefeld seemed to have Düsseldorf in the ropes when Darryl Shannon made it 2-0 early in the final period. But the Metro Stars put on a rally. With 73 seconds left in regulation, former Pinguin Jeff Christian sent the game into OT.

Adler win on Roach’s late tally

Andy Roach’s powerplay goal with 1:46 to go in regulation lifted the Mannheim Adler to a hard-fought 4-3 (1-0, 1-1, 2-2) home win over the Schwenningen Wild Wings. Mannheim’s Jason Podollan and Schwenningen’s Eric Houde both scored a pair of goals.

Defenseman Jeff Tory scored a powerplay goal and a helper as the Hamburg Freezers skated to their fourth straight win, beating the Augsburg Panthers 4-1 (2-1, 1-0, 1-0) on the road. Off the ice, Augsburg waived forward Chris Straube and signed defenseman Chris Armstrong from Switzerland’s EV Zug.