Munich, Germany - Only hours after the Hannover Scorpions sacked Gunnar Leidborg, Mike McParland stepped down as head coach of the Kassel Huskies Saturday. The Huskies find themselves at the bottom of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) standings with a 5-14 record.

Milan Mokros, who has been with the organisation since 1997 as an assistant and juniors coach, will serve as interim head coach.

After a so-and-so start into the 2004-05 season, McParland's team reached a new franchise-low with seven straight losses in October and early November. They managed to snap the terrible streak with a win after shootout against fellow bottom-club Hannover Scorpions. However no turnaround was in sight. The team continued to play uninspired and has lost three consecutive games since and 10 of their last 11 games.

One of the worst decisions of the McParland era was made a couple of weeks ago when the Huskies decided to release backup goalie Jan Münster, who became the starter after first-stringer Joaquin Gage got injured. In his seven appearances, Münster posted a 3.18 GAA and .887 save percentage. Former NHLer Corey Hirsch was brought in to replace Münster but didn't fare much better, winning only one of his five starts so far, recording a 3.22 GAA and .902 save percentage.

Ontario-native McParland was brought in last January to replace head coach Axel Kammerer. He could not turn the season around though. The Huskies missed the playoffs, tying a franchise-low with an 11th-place finish.

McParland, a former forward for the University of Guelph and the Sudbury Wolves, spent most of his playing career in Switzerland. He also started his coaching career there.