PENNY DEL Preview: EHC Red Bull Munich visits Schwenningen Wild Wings

Thursday, 24. October 2024 | PENNY DEL Preview: EHC Red Bull Munich visits Schwenningen Wild Wings

Unbeaten away from home! Red Bulls want to extend series in SchwenningenLive on MagentaSport, Sportdeutschland.TV and in the blog// DEL - PREVIEWOnly EHC Red Bull Munich is still unbeaten away from home in this PENNY DEL season. On Friday at 7:30 pm at Schwenninger Wild Wings, jubilarian Jonathon Blum and Co. can extend their streak to five wins.

"It's always difficult in Schwenningen, which is also due to the smaller ice surface. Everything goes faster. We definitely have to perform at our best," says Blum, who is about to play his 200th game in the German Ice Hockey League. "Wow, that was quick. I'm glad to have been here in Munich for so long," says the 35-year-old US-American.

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

Blum: "Maybe I'll score my first goal of the season"

His personal goal for his milestone game: "Maybe I'll score my first goal of the season." Because he has yet to score a goal this season. But the strong attacking defensive player has already shone with nine assists. In the scorer list, he is once again one of the best defenders in the DEL.

However, Blum's successes with the Red Bulls are more important than his personal record. He and his teammates have big plans for the game in Schwenningen. They want to further improve their away record. The Red Bulls currently have eleven out of a possible twelve points. Coach Max Kaltenhauser's team only dropped one point in the 5:4 win after a penalty shoot-out in Bremerhaven.

Wild Wings selectively strengthened

The Wild Wings are some way off this record. A total of twelve points, half of them at home - the best home team of the last main round is still looking for the form from last season. The Schwenningen team qualified for the playoff quarter-finals for the first time since their return to the DEL in 2013. The squad was strengthened in the summer to repeat the success.

Jonathon Blum is about to play his 200th DEL game

Two familiar names new in Schwenningen

Two names stand out from the list of newcomers: defenseman Jordan Murray and Teemu Pulkkinen, who will play on the right wing. The 32-year-old Finn made the move to North America early on, where he played 83 NHL games. For the past six seasons, he has been active in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), most recently with Kunlun Red Star.

While Pulkkinen is still in the acclimatization phase, Murray knows the DEL from his time in Wolfsburg and Mannheim. Although his scoring figures have declined in recent years, the offensively strong defenseman could still become important for the Wild Wings.

Top scorer retained

Kyle Platzer and Alexander Karachun, the two top scorers in Schwenningen last season, are still in the team. However, the most noticeable player last weekend was Zach Senyshyn. The Canadian scored the game-winning goals in the two victories against Iserlohn and in Frankfurt (both 2:1 n. V.).

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Bulwark Eriksson

The offense is well-staffed, but the strongest part of the team is the defense around goalkeeper Joacim Eriksson. The Swede has performed consistently well for four years - and often even better. His save percentage this season is also 91.9% - a top figure for many goalkeepers, but slightly below average for the 34-year-old.

If Eriksson has a good day, he can steal points from his team almost single-handedly. Especially in close duels. And they are standard for the Wild Wings this season: ten of the eleven games so far have ended with a one-goal difference.

DEL record against Schwenninger Wild Wings

Wins: 29 Losses: 15 Win percentage: 66 Prozent Goal difference: 145:103 Last game: RBM vs. SWW 7:3 Last ten games: N S N S S N N N S S