The Eisbären Berlin have taken a commanding 1-0 lead in the DEL Finals after a dominant 7-3 victory over Adler Mannheim in Game 1 at the SAP Arena on Friday, April 24, 2026. The defending champions showed ruthless efficiency from the opening faceoff, building an insurmountable lead before Mannheim could find their rhythm.
Berlin struck early and often, with Liam Kirk scoring just 41 seconds into the game to put the Eisbären ahead 1-0. Jean-Sébastien Dea doubled the lead at 10:58 of the first period, and Les Lancaster made it 3-0 at 18:42, giving Berlin a three-goal cushion after 20 minutes of play.
The second period saw more of the same dominance. Ty Ronning extended the lead to 4-0 at 14:35, followed by Markus Vikingstad’s goal just 58 seconds later to make it 5-0. Adler Mannheim finally broke through in the third period, with Kris Bennett scoring at 1:42 to make it 5-1. Alexander Ehl added another for Mannheim at 6:48, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
John Gilmour pulled Mannheim within two at 5:56 of the third period, making it 5-3. But Berlin responded immediately, with Marcel Noebels scoring at 6:57 to restore the three-goal lead at 6-3. Liam Kirk completed the scoring with his second of the night, an empty-net goal at 17:42, sealing the 7-3 victory.
The Eisbären outshot Mannheim 42-28 including a 15-6 advantage in the first period. Berlin’s power play was particularly effective, converting two of three opportunities, whereas Mannheim went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
Serge Aubin, Berlin’s head coach, improved to 15-0 in playoff series during his tenure with the club. The victory marked Berlin’s first win in Mannheim in the playoffs since 2002, extending their dominance in the historic rivalry.
Adler Mannheim will look to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole when the series shifts to Berlin for Game 2 on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 16:30 local time (14:30 UTC). The Eisbären will be without captain Kai Wissmann, who received a game misconduct penalty in the third period of Game 1 for a boarding check.
With the victory, Berlin needs just three more wins to capture their 12th DEL championship and defend their title. Mannheim, appearing in their first DEL Finals since 2019, must win four of the next five games to stay alive in the best-of-seven series.
The DEL Finals continue to showcase the league’s elite talent, with ten German Olympic participants skating in Game 1. As the series progresses, both teams will look to adjust — Mannheim hoping to harness their third-period surge, and Berlin aiming to maintain their early-game dominance.
What did you think of the Eisbären’s statement win in Mannheim? Share your thoughts below and join the conversation as the DEL Finals race toward a champion.
