Eisbären Berlin secured their third consecutive home victory in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL), clinching an early spot in the playoff quarter-finals. The reigning German champions defeated the Straubing Tigers 4-2 (1:1, 1:1, 2:0), with Leonhard Pföderl scoring twice, while Yannick Veilleux and Ty Ronning also found the net for Berlin.
Pföderl Reaches 250-Goal Milestone
A sold-out crowd of 14,200 at Ostbahnhof Arena witnessed a physical but initially low-scoring contest. In the 14th minute, Pföderl netted his 250th DEL goal after a precise setup from Frederik Tiffels. However, just 39 seconds before the first intermission, Elis Hede equalized for Straubing.
Early in the second period, the Tigers capitalized on their first power play opportunity, as Joshua Samanski put the visitors ahead in the 22nd minute. The game remained intense, with Berlin benefiting from opponent penalties. Pföderl leveled the score on a power play in the 35th minute, and Veilleux gave the hosts the lead early in the final period (41st minute) while on the man advantage.
Eisbären effectively held their lead, sealing the win when Ronning scored into the empty net with just 22 seconds remaining, as Straubing pulled goalie Florian Bugl for an extra attacker.
Eisbären Secure a Top-Six Finish
Sitting second in the standings with eight games left, Eisbären Berlin, like league leaders ERC Ingolstadt, have guaranteed a top-six finish in the regular season.
With their playoff spot secured, Berlin will now focus on overtaking Ingolstadt to claim first place and home-ice advantage throughout the postseason.
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