Kassel claimed a narrow four-three victory over Starbulls Rosenheim in their DEL2 opener on September 20th. The hosts took all three points from the contest, securing top spot in the standings after the opening round. To be fair, this wasn't the most straightforward result given how both teams had been performing recently.
Kassel now sit at the summit of the table after their single fixture. They defeated their opponents by a single goal margin, which kept them unbeaten in one outing. By then, it was clear this would be a tight affair between two sides looking to establish early rhythm.
The home side arrived with mixed recent results. They had beaten Grizzlys Wolfsburg four-three earlier in September, but also suffered defeats against Dresden and Hammer. And here's the thing — they needed to consolidate those performances into something more consistent.
Rosenheim's opening campaign started poorly with a loss to Kassel. Their previous five matches showed a pattern of narrow defeats — three games lost by single goals against Ravensburg, Memmingen, and Kosice. They were out of sight by the final third, unable to find their footing.
We had tipped Kassel to win with moderate confidence, and that prediction held true. The hosts managed to grind out a result despite not being at their fluent best. It wasn't about dominance — it was about finding enough to edge through.
The result means Kassel hold the advantage in the opening round, sitting clear at the top while Rosenheim begin from behind. Three points separates them after one game, though neither side has accumulated any points yet in the official standings.