Dresdner Eislowen — Ravensburg: 5:2, DEL2

Dresdner Eisbären beat Ravensburg 5:2 in the DEL2 on 27 September, a result that finally brought the hosts some relief after three straight defeats. We had called a home win with 72 per cent confidence, and the scoreline proved us right — though the margin was perhaps wider than most would have expected. By then, the visitors had sat eighth in the table with two wins from three, but the away end never stopped despite the deficit. To be fair, Ravensburg had shown they could compete, beating Regensburg 4:3 and Starbulls Rosenheim 3:2 before their trip to Saxony. The home side cannot afford another slip, and this performance at least gave them something to build on. They had beaten the same opponents 4:1 back in September, so there was history on their side when the match opened. The bookmakers are pricing a low-scoring game in these fixtures, but five goals from the hosts put paid to that notion early. And here's the thing — three losses with zero points means the pressure is real, and they needed this to turn a corner. What remains unclear is how the table will shift after this. Both sides carry zero points according to the supplied standings, which suggests the season is still finding its shape. The draw brought them together early, but now the gap between them may widen. The prediction came true, though the manner of victory tells a different story. The hosts pulled the strings once they found their rhythm, and the goal difference will matter more than the points tally at this stage of the campaign.