Four-time German ice hockey champions EHC Red Bull Munich will face Adler Mannheim in this year's quarter-finals of the play-offs. The two quarter-final home games at the SAP Garden will take place on March 19 and 23. The second home game is already sold out, with only a few tickets remaining for the game on March 19. All detailed ticket information can be found here. Playoff dates
These are the dates:
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Quarterfinal 1: Sunday, March 16, 2:00 p.m. | Adler Mannheim - EHC Red Bull München | 2:1 n.V.
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Quarter-final 2: Wednesday, March 19, 19:30 | EHC Red Bull München - Adler Mannheim - get your tickets now •
Quarter-final 3: Friday, March 21, 7:30 pm | Adler Mannheim - EHC Red Bull München
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Quarterfinal 4: Sunday, March 23, 7:00 p.m. | EHC Red Bull München - Adler Mannheim - SOLD OUT
Rules & procedure of the playoffs
Whoever is in the top 10 of the table after the 52 games of the DEL main round has qualified for the playoffs. The field is then initially divided into two groups. The top six automatically qualify for the playoff quarter-finals, while seventh to tenth place play in the first playoff round. The team in seventh place in the table plays against the team in tenth place in the table for a place in the quarter-finals - eighth place faces ninth place. The last two quarter-finalists are determined in a best-of-three series, in which two wins are required to advance to the next round. The team that finished the DEL main round in a higher position in the standings has the so-called "home right". This club starts the play-off round on the first date in front of its own spectators. After that, the venues alternate.
Best-of-seven from the quarter-finals onwards
The playoffs also change the game mode. The first play-off round will be best-of-three (two wins to progress), while the quarter-finals will be best-of-seven (four wins required). In addition, in the event of a draw after 60 minutes, there will no longer be a five-minute overtime period followed by a penalty shoot-out. Instead, the game will continue to be played five-on-five. In further "thirds" of 20 minutes each, the game is played until one team scores and wins. This means that the length of a play-off game can vary greatly. On 22 March 2008, the third quarter-final duel between the Cologne Sharks and Adler Mannheim was the longest game in DEL history to date, lasting 168 minutes and 16 seconds in a total of nine periods. Other special features: The obligatory "shake hands" and celebrations with the fans do not take place after the games, but only at the end of the respective series.