While Freiburg is continuously sliding down the table in 2021, Bietigheim has quietly pushed its way up and is currently the first pursuer of the table leader from Kassel – despite a badly shaken squad. Today, the 18 outfield players from Freiburg only faced 14 outfield players on the Bietigheim side.
Nick Pageau returned to the team at EHC, with Evan Mosey taking on Cam Spiro’s attacking part in the second row. René Schoofs celebrated a very special anniversary at the Steelers: the 1000th professional game for Bietigheim!
The first third – Freiburg dominates the action
The fact that Freiburg was willing to end the negative series tonight was evident in the team from the first change. The first minute also proved that, especially in situations in which things simply do not want to go, bad luck is added – when Brett Breitkreuz skilfully stuck his bat in the very first shot of Fabian Ribnitzky’s Bietigheimer and unsustainable at an early 0: 1 for the hosts.
But the EHC was not impressed by this cold shower and increased the pressure on the opponent almost minute by minute over the entire course of the first third. By the tenth minute of the game at the latest, the wolves clearly dominated the action – and should have equalized through great opportunities from Scott Allen, Andreé Hult or Jordan George.
Again and again, however, a brilliantly presented Cody Brenner in the Steelers’ box stood in their way – and on the other hand, the Bietigheimers had one or the other good chance to increase to 0: 2 with their fast counterattacks.
When one had to fear from Freiburg’s point of view that all the effort would not be rewarded, Patrick Kurz released himself and his colleagues in the 19th minute. With a targeted flick from the half-left position into the far corner, the defender overcame Brenner to more than deserved compensation.
The second third – Heavy penalty killing on both sides
The start of the second 20 minutes was a bit more leisurely on both sides than in the first section. Although Freiburg was able to start with a power play right away, the wolves only got really good chances after four to five minutes, for example through Luca Trinkberger, Scott Allen and Andreé Hult.
Bietigheim on the other side then came into the game better in the middle of the third – favored by two outnumbered situations – and began to check Ben Meisner more often in the guests’ goal. Especially Brett Breitkreuz and Alexander Preibisch forced the German-Canadian to perform several brilliant acts during this phase.
Just as the EHC seemed to be taking control of the game, the referees sent new signing Evan Mosey off the ice in the 39th minute after a check against Benjamin Hüfner with a 5-plus-game-time penalty. The only chance within the power play in the middle third had Andreé Hult, who failed with his solo effort because of the strong Cody Brenner.
So it went for Freiburg with the 1: 1, but also the mortgage of the following four minutes shortfall in the second break.
The third third – Freiburg missed the decision
What Freiburg showed in the aforementioned four minutes shortfall at the beginning of the final third, however, was then at its best. Whenever the opportunity arose, the opponents were attacked aggressively, in other situations the space in front of Meisner was cleverly closed – and if a shot did get through, it was sure to be there. The EHC survived this dicey situation accordingly, but was initially unable to build up the same offensive pressure as in the thirds before.
It took until about five minutes before the end of the game before the Wolves succeeded in putting the Steelers in their zone under pressure and again creating great opportunities. In these last minutes of regular time, Chris Billich, Simon Danner or Nick Pageau had the opportunity to win the game, quite unlikely – but failed again and again at Brenner or just missed.
The extension – Jordan George starts the bus party
The hosts had the first chance in overtime, but then Jordan George grabbed the disc, moved quickly into third and overcame Brenner with a fine flick from the left-hand position to the deserved 2-1 winner. The subsequent ecstasy of the Wolves players made it clear what burden seemed to have dropped off their shoulders as a result of this longed-for victory.
Conclusion: Two points won
After an overall very good away appearance with a top team in the league and two earned points, the positives can and should of course outweigh the odds. Against a decimated and tired-looking team from Bietigheim today, if the chances had been better exploited, a win after 60 minutes would definitely have been possible.
The fact that Freiburg never lost their nerve after the last series of defeats behind them, just kept playing forward and at the same time left next to nothing on the back burner deserves great respect.
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