Do the Eagles finish seventh in Cologne?
Who will get the better starting position in the playoff qualification? A direct place in the quarter-finals is out of reach for both teams, but on Friday the Sharks and Eagles will battle it out for seventh place in the table in the sold-out Lanxess Arena. Around 18,600 spectators are expected when Cologne and Mannheim take to the ice for the last time in the current main round.
In the upcoming game, the Cologne Sharks are not only the favorites to win against the Adler Mannheim. The home side also currently have the better position in the table. In order to challenge the hosts for seventh place on foreign soil, the Eagles urgently need a three-pointer due to their inferior goal difference and one-point deficit.
Last time out in Bremerhaven, Mannheim were also in the underdog role and almost managed to beat the leaders. Will the Eagles manage to give the favorites a leg up this time? The two opponents have at least one thing in common on Friday: Cologne and Mannheim are the most dangerous teams in the German Ice Hockey League when short-handed, with eight goals each. Will we see another rarely seen shorthander on Friday at 19:30?
Kölner Haie – Statistics & current form
The Cologne Sharks have the privilege of concluding the eventful main round in front of their own fans. In the always well-attended Lanxess Arena, however, the home side no longer have the chance to get a ticket for a direct place in the quarter-finals. Seven points and just three wins from the last eight encounters were not enough to avoid play-off qualification.
However, as the Black & Whites are only one point ahead of the eighth-placed Eagles, the Sharks still have to defend seventh place. If Ingolstadt do not suffer a surprise defeat on the final matchday, Nuremberg will be the seventh-placed team’s opponents in the play-off qualifiers. To avoid facing the stronger Schanzer instead, Cologne must not concede defeat in regulation time.
Not only the experienced oddsmaker Oddset is of the opinion that the home team will take the ice as favorites. Other German bookmakers are also predicting that Cologne has the better chance of victory ahead of the clash between the Cologne Sharks and Adler Mannheim
Kölner Haie are the most vulnerable team in the league when shorthanded
Cologne are currently one of the league’s weakest teams in terms of form and have picked up just seven points in their last eight matches. The Sharks can only hope that the hosts will draw strength from the support of the large home crowd. Almost 18,600 spectators are expected in the Lanxess Arena on Friday. With an average of 16,929 spectators per match, the Sharks set a new European attendance record and are the European leaders in this respect for the first time in 22 years. Hats off!
Despite their acute lack of form, Cologne are not to be trifled with when outnumbered. A powerplay goal rate of 20.12 percent puts them in third place in the league. However, the Sharks are weak when short-handed and only thwart opposing powerplays 76.04 percent of the time. No other team has been as susceptible as the Black & Whites when outnumbered this season. Will it still be enough on Friday to confirm the bookies’ odds in the Cologne Sharks vs. Adler Mannheim match and bag a home win?
Adler Mannheim – Statistics & current form
At first glance, the Adler are in similarly poor form to their Cologne hosts. Only two triumphs from the last five encounters leave something to be desired. Ahead of the clash between the Cologne Sharks and the Adler Mannheim, there are two fly in the ointment in Mannheim’s record despite odds signaling a disadvantage for the visitors.
On the one hand, the Adler delivered convincing performances with four wins from six games before the current mini-slump. Secondly, the eight-time German champions almost managed to beat leaders Bremerhaven recently. In the end, however, it was only enough for a 4:3 defeat after overtime, although Mannheim had even led 0:2 at the start
Tough Eagles want to overpower Sharks
It’s all the more annoying for the blue-white-and-red team, which finished last season’s main round in third place, that a direct place in the playoff quarter-finals is no longer possible. However, the Eagles are not completely powerless to influence the qualification required on the final matchday. If Mannheim manage to win three in the packed Lanxess Arena, they will be rewarded with seventh place in the table and a potentially easier opponent in the play-off qualifiers.
One of the visitors’ playing advantages is that one of the Sharks’ Achilles’ heels is also one of the Eagles’ strengths. While the home side are only third-last in the DEL with a tackle success rate of 47.67 percent, Mannheim are the third-best team in the league with a tackle success rate of 52.59 percent.
Ten goals in the last three matches also show that the Blue & Whites are in a scoring mood. Nevertheless, the providers in our sports betting comparison only give the visitors a probability of around 33.3% of prevailing in regular time. At the top of the three-way market, odds of 3.00 are available for an away win for the Cologne Sharks against the Adler Mannheim
Kölner Haie – Adler Mannheim head-to-head comparison / H2H result
Although the bookmakers are making a different prediction ahead of the Cologne Sharks v Adler Mannheim clash, the H2H record between the two teams is exactly even. In 159 encounters, the two teams have each prevailed 78 times and drawn three times. Only the 452:439 goal difference gives the Sharks the advantage.
The current season between Cologne and Mannheim initially saw two defeats for the Adler. However, Mannheim recently managed a home win against the Sharks at the end of the season. Will the next success follow on the road?
Kölner Haie – Adler Mannheim betting tip
The showdown on Friday is essentially a duel for the easier opponent in the playoff qualification. Because Cologne are in a more favorable starting position with one point more and a better goal difference, anything other than a three-pointer by the visitors would change nothing in the standings of the two opponents
In terms of play, the Eagles are certainly capable of giving the Sharks a run for their money, especially thanks to their strong tackling. However, despite Cologne’s improving form, the Sharks will welcome the Mannheim visitors with a tailwind after a 3:5 triumph against Ingolstadt. Added to this is the impressive home crowd at the sold-out Lanxess Arena. In view of this, we still consider betting tips on the away triumph to be interesting, but prefer betting on the goals market.
For the clash between the Cologne Sharks and Adler Mannheim, we place a bet on over 5.5 goals. Betano is currently offering top odds of 2.00, which will double the stake if successful
