PENNY DEL: EHC Red Bull München travels to Straubing Tigers

Thursday, 28. September 2023 | PENNY DEL: EHC Red Bull München travels to Straubing Tigers

Derby time at the Pulverturm: Red Bulls travel to Straubing// DEL - PREVIEWFriday night is once again thriller time in the DEL: Because the Red Bulls and the Straubing Tigers have recently often delivered gripping duels. On Friday at 7:30 p.m., the first comparison of the season will take place at Straubing's Pulverturm.

Four of the past five games have been undecided after 60 minutes. "It's always unpleasant to play against them. The Eisstadion am Pulverturm is an absolute witches' cauldron," says Nico Krämmer. Our newcomer knows what he's talking about.

He played 47 times against Straubing in the PENNY DEL - only captain Patrick Hager has faced the Tigers more often in the current Munich squad. Nevertheless, he celebrates a premiere on Friday night: "I'm playing the duel as a derby for the first time. I'm really looking forward to it."

Solid start to season after minor upheaval

Like the Red Bulls, the Straubingers have won two of their first four games of the season - but have picked up one point less than our team. Most recently, coach Tom Pokel's team celebrated a 2-0 win over Frankfurt.

A guarantor of victory was goalkeeper Hunter Miska, who celebrated his first shutout of the season. The US-American continues to form a duo with Florian Bugl. While everything remained the same at the goalkeeper position, the other parts of the team were turned around.

The (almost) 1000 NHL games man

Justin Braun is one of this year's star purchases. The 36-year-old defenseman brings with him the experience of 961 NHL games. Last season, Braun was still heaving his 1.88 meter tall and 93 kilogram body over the NHL ice for the Philadelphia Flyers. Now the US American is expected to help keep things tight in Straubing.

Matt Bradley, among others, is an exciting addition to the forward line. The Canadian came from the Vienna Capitals, where he scored 74 points last season. In addition to the newcomers, the team that finished fourth in the standings in the last two main rounds is relying on proven players such as JC Lipon and Mike Connolly.

An eye on Brandt

Our defender Dominik Bittner has other players in focus. "There are already one or two others we have to keep an eye on." High on that list he puts Marcel Brandt, his offensively strong defensive colleague from the national team: "You can't let him get a shot off." In the past twelve duels, the Red Bulls have managed this very well. Brandt scored "only" one goal, but our team rejoiced over ten victories.

Home strength

"Especially at home, they come out like fire," Bittner knows. He's right. In the 2022/23 season, no team performed better at home than the team from Lower Bavaria. So caution is called for.

And our access has written another important specification in his colleagues' notebook: "It will be important for us to take fewer penalties than last time." A look at the statistics shows: Bittner also addresses an important aspect here. Because in front of their home crowd, Straubing shot 175 times in overtime last season - more often than any other club - on the opposing goal. If his teammates stick to his guidelines, the chances are good for the first derby win this season.

DEL record against Straubing

Wins: 36

Defeats: 21

Win ratio: 63 percent

Goal differential: 179:144

Last game: RBM vs. STR: 5:4 n. P.

Last ten games: W W W D W W W W D W

Last ten away games: W W D W W W W W W D