DEL preview: EHC Red Bull Munich welcomes the Kölner Haie to the SAP Garden

Thursday, 31. October 2024 | DEL preview: EHC Red Bull Munich welcomes the Kölner Haie to the SAP Garden

In front of a sold-out crowd: Red Bulls want to extend their home series against Cologne// DEL - PREVIEWRed Bull Munich and the Kölner Haie meet for the second time in the SAP Garden on matchday 14 of the PENNY DEL. Our Boys will be looking to record their fourth home win in a row on Friday (2:00 pm) and take revenge for the first encounter.

The game is already sold out. Those who were still able to get hold of tickets for the top match against the Sharks can look forward to giveaways from our premium partner Rauch in the stadium concourse. There will also be a 360-degree photo station. There will also be cool prizes to be won in the Hockey Skill Challenge.

Red Bulls show strong willpower in the SAP Garden

Just under a month ago, both teams provided a great spectacle at the SAP Garden. Cologne took the lead three times and the Red Bulls equalized three times. After 60 intense minutes, our boys were beaten 4:6. Now captain Patrick Hager and his teammates want to strike back.

The form is right. Coach Max Kaltenhauser's team won the top game against Adler Mannheim 5:4 on Tuesday. The third home win in a row was hard-fought. Hager paid for it with a bruise or two. "It's nice when you make blocks and then win the game," said the Red Bulls' captain.

Highlights: EHC Red Bull München vs. Adler Mannheim (29.10.2024)

// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS

"Huda show" in Cologne

The Köner Haie's form curve is also pointing upwards. Coach Kari Jalonen's team travels to Cologne with a six-point weekend under its belt. In the victories in Bremerhaven (2:0) and against Wolfsburg (2:1), the defense around Julius Hudacek was particularly brilliant. The goalkeeper, who joined the team at the beginning of October, has fitted in brilliantly.

Since his arrival, he has played all eight KEC games over the fulltime. He has stopped 93.8 percent of the shots on his goal and has kept two clean sheets. These are top values. Hudacek has already performed his famous dance, the "Hudashow", five times. The 36-year-old Slovakian is perhaps the most important Hai at the moment.

Stable Haie with a long points streak

Even in the three defeats with Hudacek in goal, the Haie made it to at least overtime in each case. This means that Cologne have scored in eight games and have not been without a chance in any of them. And when the attacking department is in the mood to play, things can get spectacular. Their Rhineland rivals from Düsseldorf were one of the teams to experience this. Cologne won 6:3 at DEG because the forward line-up of Justin Schütz, Gregor MacLeod and Alexandre Grenier delivered once again.

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The first meeting with Cologne in the 2024/25 season in pictures

Grenier leads the internal scorer list with 15 goals. In a DEL comparison, this puts him in the top 10 - just ahead of Chris DeSousa (14 points), the Red Bulls' top scorer.

Hager: "We are on a very good path"

Cologne is in strong shape, but so are the Red Bulls. "We don't concede much, work very consistently in our own zone and have enough potential up front to score goals," says Hager. Then he adds: "If we keep working like this week after week, we'll be on a very good path." Our boys want to continue on this path against the Haie on Friday.

The duel will also be an unforgettable experience for fans with visual impairments. For the first time, we are offering a blind reportage in the SAP Garden. You can find more information on the other dates here.

DEL record against Kölner Haie

Wins: 41 Losses: 21 Winning percentage: 66 percent Goal difference: 209:148 Last game: RBM vs. KEC 4:6 Last ten games W L W W L L W W W L Last ten home games: W W W W L W L L W L