Eisbären Berlin moved to the brink of direct playoff qualification after defeating arch-rivals Mannheim 4-2. Meanwhile, Kölner Haie suffered a historic defeat against EHC Red Bull München in a high-scoring matchday for the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

Eisbären Berlin Victory

The record champions secured a 4-2 win against Mannheim, solidifying their position for direct quarter-final qualification.

Cologne's Historic Defeat

Kölner Haie faced a heavy loss against EHC Red Bull München in what was described as a wild goal spectacle.

Playoff Race Intensifies

With the regular season ending, the battle for the top six spots in the DEL remains the primary focus for Germany's top clubs.

Eisbären Berlin defeated arch-rivals Adler Mannheim 4-2 on March 13, 2026, moving to the verge of direct playoff qualification in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The result extended Berlin's strong late-season form and put pressure on rivals in the standings. The game was described as a victory over their Erzrivalen — their fiercest rivals — according to Der Tagesspiegel. Eisbären Berlin play their home games at the Uber Arena. The win kept Berlin firmly in contention for one of the top positions in the DEL table.

Eisbären Berlin are the record champions of the DEL with 11 titles, and have been a founding member of the league since its establishment in 1994. The club's professional team was spun off into a GmbH structure in 1994. Adler Mannheim are among the most decorated clubs in the league and have historically been one of Berlin's most intense rivals. The DEL was founded in 1994 as the first German professional league operated by a dedicated company, with clubs holding their professional squads as corporate entities.

In the other headline result of the matchday, EHC Red Bull München inflicted what N-tv described as a "historic" defeat on Kölner Haie in a high-scoring game. The match was characterized as a goal spectacle, with Kölner Haie suffering another loss in a turbulent period for the Cologne club. EHC Red Bull München, who play their home games at the SAP Garden, produced a dominant performance. Kölner Haie, one of the DEL's founding clubs established in 1972, have been members of the top flight continuously since 1973 according to the club's registry. The result added to the pressure on Cologne as the playoff picture in the DEL continued to take shape.

The twin results on March 13, 2026 underlined a competitive final stretch of the DEL regular season, with both the top and bottom of the standings seeing significant movement. Berlin's victory over Mannheim was the more consequential result in the title race, bringing direct qualification within reach. Munich's performance against Cologne demonstrated the strength of the southern club heading into the postseason. The Kölner Haie will need to regroup quickly with playoff positioning still to be decided. No confirmed information is available on individual scorers or exact margins from the Munich-Cologne match based on available sources.

DEL — March 13, 2026: Eisbären Berlin 4:2 Adler Mannheim

Eisbären Berlin, Adler Mannheim, EHC Red Bull München, Kölner Haie