Adler Mannheim on the Brink: Eisbären Berlin Strike Ice Cold

The Adler Mannheim lost the third game of the DEL final series against the Eisbären Berlin 1:5. Mannheim started with a lot of pace and took an early lead through Mark Michaelis (3rd minute), but Berlin responded to the deficit with five goals – three of them by defenseman Eric Mik (11th, 28th, 51st).

Mannheim Only Uses the Better Start Briefly

The game was marked by a key scene after just a few seconds: Kai Wissmann checked Maximilian Heim to the head. Heim had to be led off the ice dazed; Wissmann received a game misconduct penalty, and Mannheim got a five-minute power play.

The Adler appeared determined during this phase and quickly looked for a finish. Nevertheless, Berlin had a great chance while shorthanded when Liam Kirk appeared free in front of Maximilian Franzreb – the Mannheim goalie saved. Shortly after, Mannheim used the pressure phase to take the lead: Kristian Reichel set up Mark Michaelis, who scored the 1:0 in the 3rd minute. It was Mannheim's first lead in this final series.

Mannheim stayed on it afterwards but missed further opportunities – among other things, Matthias Plachta missed the 2:0 on the power play. Berlin kept the game stable despite the deficit and gradually increased the intensity in forechecking. In the 11th minute, Eric Mik won the puck and scored the 1:1 into the short corner. Since chances for the Adler (including by Lukas Kälble and Anthony Greco) also went unrewarded, it was 1:1 at the first break.

Berlin Takes Control in the Second Period

After an even first period, the game shifted significantly in the middle section. Berlin had longer puck possession phases, moved the puck quickly, and repeatedly pinned Mannheim deep in their own zone. The growing pressure was also evident in the details: the long change to the bench made it even harder for the Adler to relieve pressure.

The Berlin lead came in the 24th minute: Liam Kirk shot from the blue line, Les Lancaster deflected it to make it 1:2. Mannheim looked for a quick equalizer but opened up space – and Berlin took advantage. In the 28th minute, Eric Mik again made it 1:3 after a pass from Leo Pföderl.

After the game, Tom Kühnhackl summed up the turning point from Mannheim's perspective: “Of course that hurts. We had good chances today, but the efficiency was missing. And the Eisbären took advantage of that ice cold.” Exactly this imbalance between effort and reward ran like a red thread through the evening after the early 1:0.

Eric Mik Decides the Game – Berlin One Win from the Title

In the final period, Mannheim had to take more risks but rarely got clear chances. As the game went on, their attacks became less precise, while Berlin kept their structure and continued to wait for mistakes.

The decision came in the 51st minute: Yannick Veilleux intercepted a puck in Mannheim's build-up and initiated the play for the 1:4. Through Jonas Müller, the puck came to Eric Mik, who scored his third goal of the evening. Only 36 seconds later, Liam Kirk finished a counterattack to make it 1:5.

Mik said after the game: “The guys played it out great. I had a lot of good chances, and then I was lucky that three went in.” In the DEL statistics, his performance is listed as a special mark: A defenseman scored three goals in a DEL final.

For Mannheim, the situation after the 0:3 in the series is clear: On Thursday evening (7:30 p.m.), only a win counts if the Adler want to turn the final around.