Only two more points. Things are getting tighter and tighter in the relegation battle of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). And the Löwen Frankfurt are right in the middle, two points and two places away from the relegation zone. There were two games that were completely different in character last weekend.
The Lions lost 1:4 against the Nuremberg Ice Tigers, direct competitors in the fight against relegation. The Lions also lost to Bremerhaven, second in the table, on Sunday evening – but “only” 1:2 and with a much more appealing performance. The bottom line was zero points.
Non-relegation “elementary”
“We must never think that we can just play casually,” warned interim coach and sports director Franz-David Fritzmeier. Because the Lions would have to score consistently like the other teams in the bottom of the table. Düsseldorf, Nuremberg, Augsburg and Iserlohn all won at least two points last weekend.
What makes the league interesting for neutral spectators – record numbers of spectators have just been reported – creates even more excitement for the clubs. Almost all teams have signed new players in the fight against relegation.
Not being relegated is “elementary” for the Lions, says Fritzmeier. The current situation surrounding the Lions is by no means ideal for the development of young players. “The situation is of course more difficult, but you have to get used to it and deal with it,” said 21-year-old Markus Schweiger in an interview with the FAZ. His ice times have been a little less recently, the experienced players have played more.
Schweiger wants to become more dangerous
This is also because the Lions value Schweiger’s defensive qualities very much, but they are not as popular when they are behind. He also regularly plays when outnumbered. When asked about what he needs to improve, Schweiger said: “I want to be even more dangerous when it comes to finishing.” The DEL rookie has scored four goals so far, but he hasn’t scored one since mid-December. In comparison: Nuremberg’s Roman Kechter, like Schweiger, born in 2002, has scored ten goals so far in his second DEL season.
Schweiger signed a four-year contract with the Lions in the summer. That is an unusually long term in the professional business. He previously played in Landshut in the DEL2. He has settled in well in Frankfurt and spends a lot of time with his younger teammates.
The DEL will take a break next week because the national ice hockey team is playing international matches. None of the Lions’ players are taking part in the German Ice Hockey Association’s U-25 program. National coach Harold Kreis deliberately decided not to use striker Dominik Bokk because he gets a lot of ice time in Frankfurt. Other players like Schweiger played no role in the national coach’s plans.
Valentin Teufel Published/Updated: Recommendations: 1 Valentin Teufel Published/Updated: Valentin Teufel Published/Updated:
The lions are still training until the middle of the week. “After that there will be a few days off, which hopefully everyone will use accordingly,” said Fritzmeier. Not the first clear announcement about his squad in recent weeks. Because everyone involved knows: The lead is only two points.
