Löwen Frankfurt head coach Tom Pokel addressed his team’s scoring difficulties following a 1–2 defeat against Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, which capped a zero-point weekend for the club after a 0–2 loss to the Eisbären Berlin.
Scoring Struggles Overshadow Defensive Form in Bremerhaven
Frankfurt managed only a single goal across two weekend fixtures in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Following a 0–2 shutout loss at home to reigning three-time champions Eisbären Berlin on Friday, the team traveled north and dropped a 1–2 decision to Bremerhaven on Sunday. Head coach Tom Pokel noted that his squad controlled long stretches of the game in Bremerhaven following a slow start, but ultimately lacked execution in the attacking zone. Against Berlin, the team played on equal footing during phases and kept up more than well over almost 60 minutes, if one excludes a brief weak phase in the middle period in which the two goals for the Eisbären fell.
Defensive Metrics Contrast With Offensive Output
While the offense generated limited output, Frankfurt’s defensive structure ranks among the most effective in the league early in the season. The team boasts the lowest goals-against average, a penalty-kill unit that has yet to concede a goal, the second-most blocked shots, and the highest percentage of won duels. Conversely, the offense ranks second-to-last in shots on goal, though the Löwen outshot Bremerhaven 27 to 17 on Sunday. Pokel stressed that the roster must generate more traffic in front of the opposing net, obstruct goaltenders’ sightlines, and simplify their scoring approach, stating: Wir müssen mehr Druck zum Tor bringen, dem Tormann mehr die Sicht nehmen und den Preis bezahlen vor dem gegnerischen Tor
. Following major progress in defensive stability, creating even more scoring threat appears to be the new main task for the coach.
Upcoming Fixtures at the Eissporthalle am Ratsweg
The Löwen Frankfurt return to action on Thursday evening with a 19:30 local time home fixture against newly promoted Krefeld at the Eissporthalle am Ratsweg, seeking their first home victory of the campaign following tight losses to Nürnberg (1–2) and Berlin (0–2). Frankfurt will then travel to face league powerhouse ERC Ingolstadt on Sunday afternoon at 14:00 local time. Despite the results, forward Daniel Pfaffengut expressed confidence after the match in Bremerhaven on Magenta Sport: Wenn wir den Kampf über die gesamte Saison so präsentieren können, werden wir öfter als Sieger als als Verlierer vom Eis gehen
.
