Berlin – The Eisbären Berlin start their mission to defend their title in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) with a top game. The champions will receive the EHC Red Bull Munich in the opening game of the new season on September 9th (7.30 p.m.) in their home arena. “That is, of course, a correct definition of the situation right at the start of the season. Like every year, Munich is one of the favorites for the title, which we naturally want to defend, ”said Eisbären sports director Stéphane Richer.
The hosts hope “that as many spectators as possible can be there so that we can finally have a real home game again and celebrate a big ice hockey festival,” added Richer. On the second match day, Berlin will travel to last year’s quarter-final opponent Iserlohn Roosters on September 12, 2021.
With the rise of the Bietigheim Steelers, the DEL now starts with 15 teams. The ten play-off participants are determined in a total of 56 games per team. The first play-off round is to be played again in the “Best of Three” mode, from the quarter-finals onwards, all rounds will be played in the “Best of Five”.