Interim result of the home game marathon Almost a full house and lots of points
No ghost game, no relegation ghost
Image: George Stadler
No ghost game, no relegation specter: goal celebrations in the 3-2 win against leaders Berlin.
—
Tuesday: 3:2 against Berlin
Wednesday: 1:5 against Bremerhaven
Friday: 7:4 against Krefeld
Sunday: 2:3 a.e.t. against Bietigheim
Tuesday: ??? against Cologne
The AEV scored seven points in four home games, on Tuesday they are going for another three against Cologne – and all within a week, because the (catch-up) schedule is tight due to the many canceled and postponed games. During the current home game series, the fans saw many goals and were able to celebrate victories against the leaders and the bottom.
The starting position before the match against newly promoted Bietigheim was clear: Due to the points quotient regulation, the Bavarian Swabians would overtake those from Baden-Württemberg if they won and in the meantime move up to 10th place. The team that coach Serge Pelletier kept changing – Scott Valentine, Marco Sternheimer and Youngster ran against Bietigheim Lennard Nieleck instead of Brady Lamb, Max Eisenmenger and Dennis Miller – started the game quickly and Matt Puempl almost hit the first shot of the game like against Krefeld, but Steelers goalie Aittokallio was able to hit the hammer after thirty seconds played to steer. Barely three minutes later, he wasn’t so happy: he blocked a shot from Nehring, but Max Eisenmenger was there and converted the rebound to make it 1-0.
The Swabians from Württemberg repeatedly sent their save series around Stretch and Sheen into the Augsburg third, but failed because of the well-working defensive and goalkeeper Roy. The AEV had more chances, but it was still 1-0 after 20 minutes.
The game got tougher in the middle third, especially in front of and behind the Steelers goal it was always rustic when Augsburg strikers tried to poke. So Bietigheim fought their way into the game and their strikers found their way to the Augsburg goal more and more often. Ironically, the ex-Augsburger Weiß marked the equalizer and provoked his former fans with exaggerated cheering in front of the AEV curve (29th minute). That brought even more emotions into play and volume on the ranks. The Steelers didn’t let themselves be dissuaded from their game plan, and after a solo run by Ranford, the newly promoted team suddenly took the lead (36th minute).
Payerl’s power play goal earns a point
The rest of the game, the spectators saw a constantly storming AEV, Bietigheim only had a few relief attacks to counter. TJ Trevelyan, who suspected a post shot in the goal and celebrated instead of poking in time, missed the greatest chance. The AEV then needed the second power play of the game to equalize, where Adam Payerl redeemed fans and team with a precise flick.
After a game that was now open, it went into extra time, which traditionally ended quickly with a goal conceded: Puempel and Payerl hindered each other’s attacks, Bietigheim countered and Smereck scored to win.
Four Panther games will be canceled:
Points quotient also in the final table
Four games of the Panthers have not yet been scheduled, as things stand, these matches will be cancelled: the opponent would have been Mannheim twice, one game each against Schwenningen and Ingolstadt cannot be played. This means that it is not the points scored that count when calculating the final table, but the points quotient, i.e. the points scored per game played.
The AEV currently has 59 points, just as many as Iserlohn and Schwenningen with three and two fewer games respectively. The Red Lantern carries Krefeld with six points less, and Tuesday’s opponents Cologne – the team with the most games played – is behind the AEV according to the quotient rule, because the Haie got their eight point lead in seven additional games.
This means that slipping down to last place has become unlikely, but jumping to 10th place and thus qualifying for the playoffs is still possible.
–
