PENNY DEL Preview: Red Bull Munich challenges Eisbären Berlin

Thursday, 03. October 2024 | PENNY DEL Preview: Red Bull Munich challenges Eisbären Berlin

Wiesn matchday against Berlin: Red Bulls challenge the EisbärenMatchday under the sign of the 5th season// DEL - PREVIEWAfter the 7:4 victory in their DEL debut at the SAP Garden against Wolfsburg, the Red Bulls want to go one better on Friday. Not only will we be hosting Eisbären Berlin on the Wiesn matchday, you can also expect a colourful supporting programme.

Against the reigning German champions (live on MagentaSport, Sportdeutschland.TV and on our blog), our boys will be wearing a one-off Wiesn jersey, which is already available in the online shop and from Friday in the Bullstore in the arena.

Various activities are planned around the match day in keeping with the 5th season in Bavaria. This year's Playboy Oktoberfest playmate Veronika Sbrizzai will perform the symbolic opening bully before the start of the game. A Glupperl stand will be set up on Level 1 of our new home, and gingerbread hearts will also be distributed in the hall.

Highlights: EHC Red Bull München vs. Grizzlys Wolfsburg (02.10.2024)

// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS

If you come to the SAP Garden in traditional costume, you will receive a free beer from our partner Hacker-Pschorr (while stocks last). In addition, a Wiesn table awaits the winner of the Maßkrugstemmen on the ice. A band will provide entertainment in the SAP Garden's circulation area as well as a beer cam during a power break.

Ben Smith makes history

Of course, it will also be loud again when our boys score as many goals as possible. The Red Bulls let it rip seven times on Wednesday for their DEL debut in the SAP Garden against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg. After just over two minutes, Ben Smith immortalised himself as Munich's first PENNY DEL goalscorer in the multifunctional sports arena.

‘That was a very cool moment. It was the opening goal and we won in the end. Of course it was very exciting to play our first DEL game in the SAP Garden. The atmosphere was great, hopefully we can keep it up,’ enthused the attacker.

And it seems that Smith did not score this particular goal by chance. ‘Christian Winkler told me two months ago that I would score the first goal here. And he said it again the morning before the game. I don't know how he knew that. But he was right,’ reveals our number 12 with a grin.

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The game against Berlin in pictures

Reigning champions with injury worries

The Eisbären Berlin are determined to prevent the Red Bulls from winning their fifth game in five this season. The current champions came out of the starting blocks with three wins and two defeats, including a 4:2 win in Straubing on Tuesday.

However, head coach Serge Aubin is currently without several regular players due to injury. The two forwards Marcel Noebels and Ty Ronning are currently missing, and new defenceman Markus Niemeläinen (43 NHL games for the Edmonton Oilers) is also unlikely to be available.

New duo in attack hits the ground running

However, Gabriel Fontaine (most recently Lukko Rauma, seven points) and Liam Kirk (HC Litvinov, four goals) are on board, and the two import newcomers in the offence have already fitted in well. The duo adds familiar names such as Leo Pföderl (also seven points) and Blaine Byron to the already strong Eisbären offence.

How the opening game of the SAP Garden went

// GRAND OPENING GAME

Mitch Reinke and Olivier Galipeau, who both moved to the German capital from the AHL, now defend in front of champion goalie Jake Hildebrand. The new captain is national player Kai Wissmann, who forms the first defence pair with Jonas Müller.

However, Berlin's defence does not yet look completely solid, having conceded six goals against Augsburg, among others. There will therefore be opportunities for our team, which has already scored an impressive 23 goals in four games. ‘We're creating a lot more offence and we're playing much better with the disc than we did in preparation,’ explains Smith. ‘Now we want to make sure we're even better defensively.’ If they succeed, Munich's winning streak could continue.

DEL record against Berlin

Wins: 44 Defeats: 32 Winning percentage: 58 per cent Goal difference: 239:208 Last game: RBM vs EBB 3:6 Last ten games: N N N N S S S S S N N Last ten home games: N N N S S N N N S S S