Who will win the top game between Munich and Berlin?
The record champions travel to the penultimate clash of the main round! On the 51st matchday of the current season, an absolute prestige duel is on the program. Last season, the Polar Bears always had their teeth out against Munich. The current season paints a contrasting picture, as EHC Red Bull Munich are currently winless against Eisbären Berlin. A bet on a regular away win will still be rewarded with more than three times the stake in the event of success, as the home side are the favorites at the Olympia-Eisstadion.
Although the Eisbären are considered to be at a disadvantage, the capital city club will travel to Munich with some superlatives in their luggage. With 174 goals so far this season, Berlin is by far the most goal-scoring team in the DEL. In addition to the best away record, the nine-time champions also boast the best shooting efficiency in the league
The battle for the playoffs is largely over for both rivals. Both the Red Bulls and the Polar Bears are safely through to the quarter-finals. However, as the DEL’s most competitive team, Munich still has the chance to secure home ice for the first play-off match on the last two matchdays. Berlin, on the other hand, only has the potential lead in the table to look forward to. Who will get the better starting position for the final matchday on Sunday at 14:00 in Munich?
EHC Red Bull Munich – statistics & current form
EHC Munich are on a roll. After three away matches in a row, the defending champions welcome the record champions in excellent conditions. The club from the Bavarian capital has won five of its last six games. The most important, however, was the recent triumph against second-to-last Iserlohn.
Although the Roosters managed to equalize Munich’s 0:1 lead from the first period in the second period, the reigning champions ended up with a 1:3 victory on the scoreboard. The three-pointer against the relegation candidates, who are almost certain to be relegated, gave the Red Bulls the ticket for a direct place in the play-off quarter-finals.
The bookmakers in our extensive betting odds comparison predict that EHC Red Bull Munich and Eisbären Berlin will take to the ice as favorites. However, there is no longer much at stake for the home side coached by Toni Söderholm now that the play-offs have been secured. Nevertheless, the prestigious duel against the Berliners is not completely meaningless in terms of the standings. The Red Bulls can still clinch home ice for the first playoff match in the long-distance duel against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg, who are just one point ahead of Munich.
EHC Munich is unstoppable at home, but has personnel worries
In view of the schedule for the remaining two games, the defending champions are in a good position to overtake fourth-placed Wolfsburg – provided Munich doesn’t come away empty-handed on Sunday. The White-Blue-Red team will face bottom-placed Augsburg at home in the Olympia-Eisstadion. If the penultimate-placed Roosters win in Frankfurt or the Panthers lose against Düsseldorf, the crisis club’s relegation is virtually sealed when Augsburg travel to Munich on matchday 52 – at least in theory. Augsburg would only actually be relegated if the Kassel Huskies or Krefeld Pinguine become DEL2 champions. Otherwise there would be no promotion.
In any case, Söderholm’s charges feel right at home at the moment. No team is in as good a form at home as the reigning champions. Munich have won each of their five most recent home games. However, the Red Bulls suffered their last defeat as hosts with a 4:6 loss against the Eisbären.
The fact that forward Ben Smith will not return to the ice before the playoffs following his lower-body injury continues to cause stomach ache against the record champions. Defenseman Adam Almquist is also missing, but is aiming for a return in the playoffs. Dominik Bittner, another missing defenseman, on the other hand, will not be able to play at all this season.
Eisbären Berlin – Statistics & current form
On Sunday afternoon, the most dangerous offense in the German Ice Hockey League travels to Munich to keep the chance to stay at the top of the table. Should Berlin score more points against Munich than leaders Bremerhaven in the parallel game against Mannheim, everything would be set for a direct duel for the main round victory on the final matchday. After the thriller against Munich on matchday 52, the Polar Bears have the ambitious Northern Lights in front of them.
Should the Penguins and Eisbären bag the same number of points on Sunday, Berlin would need a three-pointer paired with a better goal difference to finish the season. According to the odds, however, the Eisbären Berlin are the underdogs to win the match against EHC Red Bull Munich. This disadvantage is not considered to be significant, but betting tips on the record champions will bring in more than three times the stake at the top if the visitors triumph in the regular course of the game
Does Eisbären Berlin’s latest result give the wrong impression?
Qualitatively, there is no doubt that the Eisbären can more than keep up with the equally strong Munich team. However, with the lead in the table as their only remaining goal, the question arises as to how ambitiously Berlin will approach the two remaining crunch duels. At first glance, the recent 4:1 defeat against Straubing suggests a potential loss of motivation, but the final result does not reflect the actual course of the game.
Berlin let a poor start to the encounter get the better of them early on and fell 2:0 behind within the first five minutes. However, the rest of the duel was much closer. Ultimately, the capital city team failed to capitalize on their chances.
Nevertheless, the nine-time German champions are the best away team in the DEL. Moreover, with three wins and 18 goals in their last five encounters, the Blue-White-Red team do not give the impression that they want to rest on their laurels for the rest of the main round. If you think that the bet on the visitors to win the match between EHC Red Bull Munich and Eisbären Berlin will work out after overtime or a penalty shootout at the latest, you can still pick up betting odds of 2.25 at Betano sports betting.
EHC Red Bull Munich – Eisbären Berlin head-to-head comparison / H2H result
The direct comparison between Munich and Berlin paints an interesting picture. Overall, the H2H result of EHC Red Bull Munich vs Eisbären Berlin underpins the forecast of the top betting providers. The home side in the upcoming encounter have won 45 of 76 matches and lost 31 times. The Red Bulls also have the better end of the 239:204 goal difference.
However, while Munich did not suffer a defeat against the record champions last season, the tide has turned in the current season. This time it is the Berlin capital club that has won every meeting so far in this main round. Will the title-ambitious Eisbären complete their vendetta against Munich with a fourth triumph?
EHC Red Bull Munich – Eisbären Berlin betting tip
When the Red Bulls welcome the nine-time champions to Munich for a prestigious clash, both teams will be in with a chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the play-offs. The Polar Bears even have home ice in the first play-off match already wrapped up. The Munich hosts still want to gain this advantage. For Berlin, on the other hand, it’s just a matter of one more chance at the top of the table
The fact that the Eisbären are still aiming to win the main round was shown by the team of successful coach Serge Aubin even in the recent 4-1 defeat in Straubing. Moreover, 18 goals in the last five duels suggest that the DEL’s most dangerous offense could flex its offensive muscles again against Munich.
In view of the fact that the hosts are plagued by personnel problems and Berlin has given a false impression with its most recent match result, we place value between EHC Red Bull Munich and Eisbären Berlin in the increased odds on a victory for the record champions. We see the two top teams at least on an equal footing and choose a cautious stake of two units for bets on Berlin in the regular season.
