Haie Face Red Bull Munich in Season Opener Friday
COLOGNE – the Penny DEL 2025/2026 season kicks off for the Cologne Haie this Friday evening with a home game against EHC Red Bull Munich at the Lanxess Arena.The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. in a highly anticipated matchup. Over 18,000 tickets have already been sold for the season opener, promising a vibrant atmosphere. remaining tickets are available for purchase.
The Haie enter the season following a six-week preparation period, including eight test games. Thay secured victories in four of those contests, including recent wins against Wolfsburg and in Tilburg. Historically, the Haie have won their season opener in three of the last four years.
Munich, under new head coach oliver David, completed five test games during their preparation.After initial defeats against Bern, Zug, and Graz, they finished with wins against Glasgow and Nuremberg.
Key Facts:
* The teams last met in Cologne on opening day in 2022, with the Haie winning 6-3.
* The Haie boast twelve new players who could make their debut Friday. Munich recently announced their twelfth addition, Finnish defender Ville Pokka.
* Last season,only one point separated the teams in the final standings,with Munich finishing with 88 points,one ahead of Cologne.
* Historically, Munich leads the head-to-head series with 42 wins to Cologne’s 23 in 65 Penny DEL encounters.
Quote:
“It will be exciting to play again in the arena - certainly in front of a great backdrop and great atmosphere. The anticipation with me and the team is great. A top opponent awaits us with Munich. I could imagine that both teams feel each other out at the beginning, but then a wild game can also develop. In the end we want to win the game, of course,” said Moritz Müller.
