The Penguins want to break their negative streak against Munich
The Penguins have done it! The fruits of hard work and consistently good performances gave the Northern Lights on matchday 28 what defending champions EHC Red Bull Munich have been denied so far this season: the long-awaited place at the top of the table. The Eisbären allowed themselves a 1:3 blunder against the Adler and immediately lost their lead in the table due to the 2:0 victory of the lurking Penguins.
As the newly crowned league leaders, Bremerhaven have a tough test ahead of them. Their upcoming opponents Munich initially fell short of their own expectations in the current season. After last season’s championship title, the White-Blue-Red team has not really managed to free itself from the middle of the table. In sixth place, EHC Munich is still eight points away from the first-placed Penguins.
Lately, however, the discontented Munich team has increasingly brought its qualities to the cool surface. Aside from the plan to start a race to catch up towards the top of the table, the four-time DEL champions’ first priority is to consolidate their place in the area of guaranteed play-off participation.
The visitors in the upcoming encounter have not finished above the Northern Lights in the table for 18 matchdays. Nevertheless, the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven are at a slight disadvantage against EHC Red Bull Munich according to the bookmakers’ odds
Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven – Statistics & current form
Bremerhaven have already had their first baptism of fire on their way to the top of the table. On matchday 25, the in-form Penguins faced record champions Berlin. The northerners did not manage a win, but Bremerhaven nevertheless showed that the ambitious Penguins can keep up with the Polar Bears, who have been leading the table for most of the season. The Red & Whites even took a 3:2 lead at one point. However, the Polar Bears managed to equalize in the third period, took the match into overtime and ultimately secured two points.
Unsurprisingly, Bremerhaven were not discouraged by the defeat, which was not without points. With nine points from three wins in a row, the northerners fought their way back to the top of the form table. If you think an extension of the winning streak to four triumphs in a row is realistic, you can back Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven and EHC Red Bull Munich at odds of 2.52 for a home win in the regular season
Bremerhaven keeper Gudlevskis celebrates second shutout
After Bremerhaven had beaten both the Grizzlys Wolfsburg and the Augsburg Panthers 3-1, the latest encounter against the Straubing Tigers gave them the opportunity to take their place in the sun on the third Advent. Although the Penguins exerted pressure right at the start of the game, the match remained scoreless for both teams for the most part. It was only in the last three minutes that the Penguins finally managed to take a 1:0 lead, which subsequently led to a 2:0 victory.
The Eisbären Berlin took the more inglorious part and fulfilled the second requirement for Bremerhaven’s lead in the table with a pointless defeat of the favorites against Mannheim. Penguins goalie Kristers Gudlevskis, meanwhile, celebrated his second shutout of the season. The keeper, who was in good form, last managed a 100 percent save percentage in the 6-0 goalfestival against the Schwenninger Wild Wings on matchday 6
Fischtown Pinguins are back to their old form
As already mentioned, Bremerhaven’s recent run of victories has not only taken them to the top of the DEL table, but also to their usual place on the throne of the form table. 13 points from the last five games is an excellent haul – especially in view of the fact that almost exclusively top-class opponents were on the ice. The Red & Whites are only in sixth place in the home table of the last five home encounters at the Eisarena Bremerhaven. Nevertheless, with a two-point gap to the top and ten points from five games, a good performance can also be noted here.
With only one goal conceded in 22 short-handed situations in the last five matches, the Penguins have also remained true to their strength against opposing power plays. Between Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven and EHC Red Bull Munich, a bet on the Nordlichter picking up at least two points will almost double the stake in the event of success. However, if corresponding odds of up to 1.95 materialize, there is a risk that the Eisbären will regain the lead in the table with an expected win against the Augsburg Panthers.
EHC Red Bull Munich – statistics & current form
Defending champions EHC Red Bull München have one thing in common with the hosts of the upcoming top-of-the-table clash: their last encounter with record champions Eisbären Berlin did not end without points, but with a defeat. However, after a 1:1 draw in regulation time, the Munich team did not concede defeat in overtime, but only in the penalty shoot-out.
In the following match against ERC Ingolstadt, the reigning champions dropped all their points. Munich ended the second period against the current eighth-placed team with a 1-1 draw. However, Friedrich scored Ingolstadt’s opening goal ten minutes into the final period. Head coach Toni Söderholm’s charges were unable to equalize until the end.
Despite having a larger number of shots on goal and winning a number of face-offs, the Whites and Blues came away empty-handed. For the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven vs EHC Red Bull Munich prediction that something similar will be prevented this time and the visitors will take the full three points, odds of 2.35 are available at the top
Munich celebrated the third Advent with a scoreless victory
The 3:0 work victory that Munich recently celebrated against the Schwenninger Wild Wings at home in the Olympia Eishalle was all the more pleasing. The four-time champions started the game confidently and set the pace. Despite playing at eye level, the Wild Wings had difficulties keeping up with Munich, but also impressed with their compact defense. Although the Red Bulls didn’t let much get to them at first, they had obvious problems breaking through Schwenningen’s efficient defense.
Munich finally scored the first goal a few minutes before the end of the first period. Although the Wild Wings did not let up in terms of play for the rest of the period, they were unable to prevent a deserved 3:0 final score by Söderholm’s team. In front of 5,522 spectators, EHC Munich gave the Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter, who was also in attendance, an entertaining third Advent
EHC Red Bull München is strong at home, but weak away from home
With their recent win against Schwenningen, the defending champions have established themselves at the top of the home form table. Only one defeat and an impressive twelve points from the last five games at the Olympia Eishalle are an excellent haul. However, the away record paints a completely different picture. Munich have only won one of their last five matches away from home. In the process, the Red Bulls have taken five points from the stadiums of opposing teams
The good form of Munich, who are strong at home, hides a serious weakness on the road. Although there is a possibility that this performance discrepancy will be the defending champions’ undoing, most bookies see the Red Bulls as narrow favorites on Thursday. Betting operator Bwin, however, sees Munich and the Penguins as evenly matched for bets on the two-way market. Odds of up to 1.90 are offered on the top game between Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven and EHC Red Bull Munich for an away win in overtime or a shootout at the latest.
Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven – EHC Red Bull Munich head-to-head comparison / H2H result
A look at the H2H record quickly makes it clear why a Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven vs EHC Red Bull Munich home win prediction is quoted higher than betting on an away win despite the table situation. Of the 68 games in which the players in the upcoming top-of-the-table clash have faced each other, Munich have won 45 of them. On top of that, the Red Bulls have rattled the Northern Lights’ net 220 times. The Penguins have only won 23 times and scored 153 goals.
To make matters worse, Bremerhaven have not recorded a single point in their last six encounters with the championship favorites. Will the Penguins finally manage to break the Red Bulls’ run of success, which has been weak on the road this time?
Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven – EHC Red Bull Munich betting tip
The Penguins’ most recent head-to-head tie against EHC Munich does not inspire optimism regarding a home win. Nevertheless, the current starting position of the two rivals provides arguments that the Northern Lights have a realistic chance of winning. The Fischtown Pinguins are not only in good form and strong at home, but also have an extremely dangerous offense.
Bremerhaven is represented twice in the top five DEL top scorers with Jeglič and Urbas. The ambitious northerners are not lacking in motivation either. The Red & Whites are determined not to lose their lead in the table right away – not even against the top favorites for this season’s championship title.
When looking for Munich players in the list of DEL top scorers, on the other hand, you have to go almost to the end of the top 50. However, this does not mean that the defending champions are weaker offensively. On the contrary, an analysis of Munich’s forward line reveals that responsibility in attack is spread across numerous shoulders. This allows for a more flexible and, above all, more difficult to predict offense that is capable of making pinpricks in surprising places.
Despite the Red Bulls’ recent 3-0 win, however, it has recently become apparent that the reigning champions have occasional difficulties against efficient defenses. The highly motivated Penguins are particularly difficult to break down when short-handed. If the in-form Northerners can once again summon up this strength without restricting their goal-scoring attack, a Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven vs EHC Red Bull Munich betting tip on the next home win could be crowned with success. Odds of 2.52 for a triumph without overtime or penalty shootout imply a probability of 39.7 percent. We rate the odds as higher and bet two units
