Augsburger Panther edge past Krefeld in DEL clash
Augsburger Panther secured a 2:1 victory over Krefeld Pinguine on Sunday evening in the DEL. The away side took all three points after a hard-fought contest at the Krefeld arena. It was a result that keeps the visitors in fifth place while the hosts remain sixth in the standings.
To be fair, the table position tells only part of the story. Both sides have played eight games now, and the gap between them is narrowing. Krefeld sit on four wins from their eight outings, while Augsburger have managed five victories with three defeats to their name.
And here's the thing — we had tipped the away win before kickoff. Seventy-one percent confidence, we said. It came off. Not that you need a prediction to see Augsburger's edge. Their recent results show a side that knows how to finish things, even when the game isn't going their way.
Krefeld's form has been up and down of late. They beat Frankfurt 5:2 and Schwenningen 5:2 in wins, but losses to Isertloh and Mannheim showed vulnerability. The 2:3 defeat to Isertloh on October fourth was particularly telling — a game they could have turned around.
Augsburger's away record deserves a closer look. They won 3:0 at Bremerhaven on their last outing, though the 4:2 loss to Munich Red Bulls reminded everyone this league doesn't hand out easy points. Still, they have one foot in the next round of sorts — not promotion, but they're building something steady.
By then, Krefeld will need to find consistency. Four losses in eight games isn't a foundation to build on. The goal difference tells the story — they've scored heavily in some games but conceded just as much. That's a pattern that needs breaking.
