DEL preview, matchday 31: EHC Red Bull München visit Nürnberg

Friday, 27. December 2024 | DEL preview, matchday 31: EHC Red Bull München visit Nürnberg

The next Bavarian duel: Red Bulls travel to Nuremberg// DEL - PREVIEWIn the penultimate game of the year, EHC Red Bull München will face the Nürnberg Ice Tigers away from home. The Bavarian duel starts on Saturday at 5:15 pm (live on free TV on DF1, as well as on MagentaSport, Sportdeutschland.TV & on our blog).

It's also our last away game in 2024 before we close out the year with a home game against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg on Monday (7:30 p.m.). So six points are still up for grabs. Max Kaltenhauser's team already secured one point on Boxing Day away at league leaders ERC Ingolstadt. We trailed twice in the derby, and twice we had an answer. In the end, the hosts prevailed 3:2 after a penalty shoot-out.

Highlights: ERC Ingolstadt vs. EHC Red Bull München (26.12.2024)

// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS

"If you include the penalty shootout, we even fought back three times (editor's note: Ingolstadt led 2:0 after three shooters in the penalty shootout before Varejcka and Krämmer tied it at 2:2). We played solid defense for the most part and could have won the game in 60 minutes," Kaltenhauser commented on the exciting game afterwards.

Red Bulls build on away and defensive strength

The Red Bulls have now picked up nine points in their last five away games. Defensive work has been a guarantee for points recently: in the last six DEL games, we've conceded an average of just 1.5 goals per game (excluding penalties). In Nuremberg, our boys want to be stable again.

Balanced season record

The two Bavarian clubs have already met twice this DEL season, with both encounters taking place at the SAP Garden. The first encounter went 4:0 to our boys, while the Ice Tigers celebrated a 4:3 win after overtime in the second encounter around a month ago.

Highlights: EHC Red Bull München vs. Nürnberg Ice Tigers (20.10.2024)

Playoff course instead of fear of relegation for the Ice Tigers

The two head-to-head duels are also a reflection of Nuremberg's season, as light and shade have alternated for coach Mitch O'Keefe's team to date. Examples of this are the two wins against leaders Ingolstadt and defeats against basement dwellers Iserlohn and Augsburg. Curious: In the past eight DEL games, Nuremberg always went beyond regular time - either into overtime or even into the penalty shootout.

The summer departures of players such as the up-and-coming talents Danjo Leonhardt and Elis Hede (to Straubing) and the veteran Daniel Schmölz (to Ingolstadt) have not had too much of an impact so far. The Ice Tigers are currently in tenth place and are therefore on course for the first playoff round.

Top scorer Barratt under the microscope

Evan Barratt's explosion in performance has played a big part in this. The 25-year-old American is really turning up the heat in his second season in Nuremberg. Barratt leads the DEL scoring charts with 39 points (in 28 appearances). His 29 assists are outstanding. Nuremberg's top player scored 14 points - almost a third of his total - in the power play. That is also a top figure.

Barratt is neither the fastest nor the most powerful player. Instead, he shines with his intelligence and creativity. His teammates Cole Maier and Jeremy McKenna, with whom he forms one of the most dangerous forward formations, benefit from this.

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The duel with the Ice Tigers in pictures

Close games in Nuremberg

In his six duels with the Red Bulls, Barratt remained below his average with three goals. We don't want to add any more, because after two narrow 2:1 defeats in Nuremberg recently, our boys want to celebrate again - and thus further improve their strong away record (nine wins from 14 games) in the penultimate game of the year.

DEL record against the Nuremberg Ice Tigers

Wins: 33

Defeats: 25

Winning percentage: 57 percent

Goal difference: 200:152

Last game: RBM vs. NIT 3:4 n. V.

Last ten games: N S N S S S N N S N

Last ten away games: S N S S S S N S S S N N