Super goalie is completely free: What is behind this crazy ice hockey campaign

Super goalie turns completely free
What is behind this crazy ice hockey campaign

04/10/2025, 11:50 a.m.

The Cologne sharks experience a terrible debacle in the first playoff semi-final against Ingolstadt. From this, Kari Jalons draws the right teachings and a dreaded defensive game. At the end is the extremely extrovert Julius Hudacek – and delivers the big show.

Julius Hudacek hit a tumble tree under the cheers of 18,000 fans when Maximilian Kammerer explained the recipe for success of the Cologne Haie a few meters away. “We are extremely stable, we are not allowed, and the shots that come, the Huda holds,” said the striker after the 2-1 victory in the fourth play-off semi-final against ERC Ingolstadt with a view to his extrovert goalkeeper in magenta-and summarized: “We are now extremely effective, that makes us extremely strong.”

So strong that the sixth in the table of the main round has only been a win from his first final in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) since 2014. What the sharks have brought so far is not necessarily enthusiastic – on the contrary.

Finnish concrete ice hockey with an outstanding goalie makes the opponent, the main round and favorites. “Ingolstadt is a bit frustrated, you can see that,” said national player Justin Schütz. In the first duel, the 0: 7 debacle was the trigger for the experienced coach Kari Jalonen, the dreaded defensive ice hockey that Finland led to two World Cup titles and Olympiagold between 2019 and 2022.

“They are not offensive that you are very happy to look at”

With success: Since then, Cologne has won all three games and only conceded three goals – although Ingolstadt gave twice as many shots on goal. Hudacek, the 36-year-old Slovak, whom the sharks had released in October, fended off sensational 97.3 percent. “He is an incredible support for us. That is why we are where we are,” said Kammerer. And watched how the crowd favorite did not climb on the goal this time, but lasciviously lasciviously lasciviously. “He deserves to be celebrated.”

So far, nobody is bothered by the fact that the sharks are not playing the stars from heaven. “There are no games that are not very happy to look at,” said striker Schütz, “but these are the play-offs, we want to go to the final, so it’s Kackegal.” Captain Moritz Müller is progressing in this way of playing. “He fights, throws himself into every shot, in every duel,” said Schütz, “Mo is the leader with us, a model for everyone. As he plays, everyone has to play.”

Even if it hurt sometimes: On Wednesday, the national team captain followed the final phase from the bank after crashing his right shoulder on a rescue attempt. “I think the boys are playing for him now,” said Schütz. Whether Müller on Friday (7 p.m./Magenta Sport) is fit again in Ingolstadt. Then the sharks could already make the final in the final against record champions Eisbären Berlin.

Your fans are looking forward to it. “Of course everyone is hot,” said the shark legend Mirko Lüdemann, who was on the ice in the final and so far in the last championship in 2002, “there was a great longing for a title, both in the final and so far in the last championship in 2002,” the last time was a while “.