HEndrik Hane stayed in the background. The way he prefers to do it, the goalkeeper of the Düsseldorfer EG does not want to conform to the cliché of the talkative Rhinelander. And even when there is cheering, Hane is rarely at the front. Not even on Tuesday evening at the Kölner Haien, where DEG won 6: 1 and thus celebrated one of the highest victories in the history of the “mother of all derbies” in German ice hockey.
Hane was one of the decisive men, kept calm despite the heated mood at the first derby with spectators for more than 600 days – and only saved his team from falling behind, later from equalizing or connecting hits. But when DEG celebrated with their fans afterwards, the goalkeeper was only in the second row.
Hane is only 21 years old. Born in Düsseldorf, he learned to skate and catch the puck on the historic Brehmstrasse, where DEG celebrated eight championship titles. Hane only knows this from stories, the last time was cheered in 1996. Before the new season of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL), the forehead wrinkles in Düsseldorf were particularly deep. The DEG had announced an austerity course because the shareholders no longer – as usual in the DEL – want to compensate for the annual minus. Important players could not be retained; instead, mainly young German players came who had not made it elsewhere. Or those from the second division. DEG hired four experienced foreigners shortly before the start, but would that be enough? Especially in the season before relegation is reintroduced?
Hendrik Hane (l) and Leon Hüttl are happy about a victory against the Czech Republic at the U20 World Cup.
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Image: dpa
Now 13 games are over, and DEG is the league’s surprise team and is fifth. “Every game is fun,” says Daniel Kreutzer, club legend and now in management. Recently his club even won the championship in Berlin, but a 6-1 in Cologne has another value. Especially since the DEG, which was already sparsely staffed, had to do without six permanent staff. But because of that, the team “moved even closer together” and showed “incredible character”, said striker Daniel Fischbuch, who crowned his outstanding performance with the goal to make it 6-1. Then the previously trembling arena emptied noticeably. At the beginning, the 11,400 spectators in the sold-out hall still stood, shouted and whistled. Although the Haie – also eight-time champions – are no longer a candidate for the title, the game against Düsseldorf is still the biggest. No one in the DEL attracts more fans to the stands or in front of the screens.
In terms of sport, it was unexpectedly one-sided. The Cologne team started with several great opportunities that Hane thwarted. But then mistakes and fouls alternated cheerfully. Unlike the DEG, where even the young and inexperienced players always remained disciplined, stood compact, defended the blue lines and quickly played forward after winning the puck. “Not always sexy, but straightforward,” said coach Harold Kreis afterwards, describing his men’s game. “There are areas where we allow creativity, but there are also areas where we say: stick to the structure, then we have a chance.”
Niklas Postel took advantage of an outnumbered early lead, in the second period Brendan O’Donnell increased to 3-0, before his second goal he allowed himself an elegant pirouette and then tunnelled the goalkeeper. While cheering in the direction of the Haie fans, he put his hand to his ear, following the motto: Why can’t I hear anything anymore? Derby just. Before the second siren, Marco Nowak scored to make it 4-0. And when Mark Olver at least shortened in the last third, Carter Proft hit back immediately, Fischbuch ensured the end point. Then there was a celebration. Hendrik Hane stayed in the background.
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