Eislöwen start in the DEL: Berlin clearly defeats Dresden 6:2!

Eislöwen start in the DEL: Berlin clearly defeats Dresden 6:2!

A historic evening for the Dresden Eislöwen in the highest German ice hockey league: On September 9, 2025, the team played its first DEL game against the Eisbären Berlin. In the sold-out Uber Arena, where 14,200 spectators, including fans and representatives of Dynamo Dresden, were present, the Eislöwen ultimately had to admit defeat 2:6. MDR reports that the Dresden team became the 34th club in DEL history today.

Ty Ronning caused an early shock with his goal for the Eisbären in the 4th minute. 3 minutes and 17 seconds had passed when he scored the first goal of the new DEL season. A difficult start, which Eislöwen defender Oliver Granz explains by saying that many players were on the ice for the first time in such a high-class league. Nevertheless, Austin Ortega managed to score the goal for Dresden in the 32nd minute to make it 1-2.

Unusual game progressions and chances

The Dresden Ice Lions were able to keep the game open at times and had several great chances. Eisbären goalkeeper Jake Hildebrand particularly stood out and saved dangerous shots from Ortega in the 14th minute and Bouma in the 16th minute. In addition, a shot from Drew LeBlanc hit the crossbar - an unfortunate situation that didn't exactly put the Ice Lions' luck on their side. The Saxon emphasizes that the Eisaren were able to keep up with the Eisbären in terms of play, but the opponent's tempo game was still a big challenge.

In the 34th minute and in the final moments of the game, more precisely in the 60th minute, Andreas Eder and Blaine Byron scored for Berlin, while Trevor Parkes scored the second goal for the Eislöwen shortly before the final whistle, but this was nothing more than a cosmetic result. A bitter pill for the Ice Lions, as the game was described as superior and deserved by the Polar Bears, who applied heavy pressure.

A look at the DEL

The German Ice Hockey League, a fixture in German sport, was founded in 1994 and has since seen numerous teams and exciting championship duels. This season, particular attention is being paid to the Eisbären Berlin, who not only start as defending champions, but also have the ambition to further expand their dominance in the league. HockeyDB offers valuable statistics and insights.

The start of the DEL season smells like more than just a painful defeat for the Dresden Ice Lions. Even if the result wasn't ideal, there is a lot of potential in this team. Maybe the Eislöwen will find their way back to their old strength in the next game and show that they not only want to write a new chapter in German ice hockey, but also want to write great stories.