With a 4-1 (1-0, 0-1, 3-0) home win, the Haie (14-12, 43 pts) passed the Freezers (14-10, 40 pts) in the standings and are now in fifth place. While Cologne ended a three-game losing streak, Hamburg has lost five straight, a streak that started with a 3-2 loss after penalty shootout against the Haie in mid-November.
Cologne’s win was well deserved. The Haie dominated the Freezers from start to finish, outshooting the visiting team 43-23 over three periods and 10-3 in the final stanza.
Eduard Lewandowski and defender Brad Schlegel both tallied a pair of assists for the Haie. Defenseman Jeff Dessner notched the eventual game-winner 64 seconds into the final stanza, blasting a slapshot past Freezers goalie Boris Rousson. McLlwain scored back-to-back goals within a 2-minute span halfway through the third, including one on the power-play, to secure Cologne’s win. McLlwain also scored the first goal of the night 7:41 into the opening period. His three tallies raised his goal total to 16.
Freezers defender Kent Fearns left the game with a knee injury and will have to undergo further examinations upon the team’s return to Hamburg.
Zach mixes up his linesAfter a poor first period, Hamburg picked it up a notch in the second. Bobby House scored the Freezers’ only goal on a two-man advantage with 3:21 left in the middle frame, going top-shelf on Haie goalie Chris Rogles. A minute earlier, Haie defender Brad Schlegel missed a chance to double Cologne’s lead, ringing a shot off the woodwork.
Haie head coach Hans Zach’s decision to reshuffle his forward lines paid off. The veteran line of McLlwain, Alex Hicks and Jean-Yves Roy only appeared in power-play situations. On even strength, McLlwain was paired with Andreas Morczinietz and Sebastian Furchner, Hicks played alongside Kazakh-whirlwinds Eduard Lewandowski and Boris Blank and Roy was lined up with Jeremy Adduono and Kai Hospelt.
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