Patrik Augusta scored a powerplay goal 38 seconds into the final period as Krefeld knocked off Düsseldorf in five games with a 4-1 (1-0, 2-1, 1-0) road win in front of 9,012 at Düsseldorf’s Brehmstrasse Arena. Behind tallies from Sandy Moger and defenseman Daniel Kunce, the Pinguine jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Bernd Kühnhauser’s goal gave Düsseldorf hope midway through the middle frame. The momentum shifted again late in the period, though, when Bill Bowler re-installed Krefeld’s two-goal lead. Augusta’s score put the game away early in the final stanza.
Freezers’ inaugural season ends - Rousson: “Don’t blame referee”John Emmons and Florian Keller each had a goal and an assist and goaltender Richard Shulmistra recorded his first playoff shutout as the top-seeded Berlin Eisbären eliminated the eighth-seeded Hamburg Freezers from the playoffs in five games with a 4-0 (0-0, 3-0, 1-0) blanking. Back at their regular home rink, the “Wellblechpalast” in East Berlin, the Eisbären secured their fourth-ever trip to the DEL playoffs, the first since 1998-99. With 4,695 in attendance, Hamburg had the majority of the scoring chances early on but failed to capitalize. Emmons broke the deadlock midway through the game when he beat Freezers netminder Boris Rousson on an odd-man rush. Berlin doubled the lead to 2-0 on a power-play goal six minutes later when Rob Shearer tipped a shot from defender Ricard Persson over Rousson’s left shoulder. A screened rocket shot from Rob Leask even made it 3-0 before the second intermission. Instead of sitting back, Berlin kept coming in the final period. Florian Keller capped the scoring at 4-0 with 8:34 left in regulation, ending Hamburg’s inaugural season.
„The turning point of the series happened in game 3 in Berlin”, Freezers netminder Boris Rousson stated in his weekly prohockey.de column. “Our lack of discipline, which was costly on more than one occasion this season, was the difference. We had them exactly where we wanted, but we blew it. The Eisbären are a very good team, for which anything short of a championship will be considered a disappointment, and they deserved to beat us, no matter what the refs did or didn't call. There was a lot of talk in the newspapers about how we got beat by referee Petr Chvatal, but as much as I don't like the guy, he was definitely not the only reason why we lost. He did not score any goals.”
Hicks puts Cologne in position to wrap up seriesMike Rosati recorded his first postseason shutout as the fourth-seeded Mannheim Adler closed out their first-round series against the fifth-seeded Nürnberg Ice Tigers in five games with a 3-0 (0-0, 1-0, 2-0) home win. With 7,100 in attendance at Mannheim’s Friedrichpark Arena, Steve Junker broke the deadlock six minutes into the middle frame. Another second-period goal was disallowed because of a goal crease violation. The Adler put the game away early in the final period on back-to-back powerplay goals from captain Yves Racine and sniper Devin Edgerton.
In Cologne, Alex Hicks tallied a goal and two assists as the second-seeded Kölner Haie took a 3-2 lead in their series against the seventh-seeded Kassel Huskies with a 4-1 (2-1, 1-0, 1-0) home victory. After four close games, game five turned into a rather lopsided contest. With 10,417 in attendance at the KölnArena, the Haie dominated the game from the opening faceoff. Cologne’s Eduard Lewandowski opened the scoring with a powerplay tally 8:10 into the contest. Jan Lipiansky came up with the equalizer five minutes later. With Kassel’s Doug Derraugh and Jeff McLeod in the sin bin, Brad Schlegel hammered a slapshot past Huskies netminder Rich Parent to give the Haie a 2-1 lead at the intermission. Only 3:14 into the middle frame, Alex Hicks made it 3-1 scoring on his own rebound after a terrific solo effort. The goal turned out to be an early backbreaker for the sluggish Huskies. Haie defenseman Shane Peacock capped the scoring at 4-1 midway through the final period.
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