Four-time goal scorer Justin Schütz – © Sportfoto-Sale (DR)

Krefeld. (MR) It was a real goal fest. The cathedral city team scored at will, especially in the second half. The 6:1 score was perhaps a little too clear in the end.

Announced as “the four best teams from NRW”, the TIMOCOM Cup took place for the first time in Krefeld. And even if this bold headline suggested a clash of the top teams, this announcement was accurate, because the three DEL teams from North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Iserlohn, took part, as did the only DEL2 club from NRW, the Krefeld Pinguine. Everyone else plays in the Oberliga or lower. After a weak opening game between Düsseldorfer EG and Kölner Haie, in which DEG did not manage to score a single goal (final score 0:3), and a hard-fought second game in which hosts Krefeld played on equal terms against the Iserlohn Roosters (final score 2:4), the “finals” were scheduled for Sunday. Firstly, DEG offered the tournament hosts and fans a much better, and above all more successful, performance and managed to beat the Pinguine 5:0. The atmosphere in the stands was much more “derby-like”. In the early evening, the winners of the “semi-finals” competed in the final.

Sharks don’t show their weakness

Both teams came out of the changing rooms full of pressure. The goals were guarded today by the “No. 2” goalies – Pantkowski for the Haie, Hane for the Roosters. And both were able to distinguish themselves several times in the opening period. In the 17th minute of the game, Schütz put his team in the lead after a spectacular give and go with Vittasmäki. In the second period, the Roosters pushed for the equalizer, which they managed to achieve in the middle of the third (Boland, 29th). However, the Haie took advantage of the next power play to put them ahead again (Schütz, 35th). And to complete his hat trick, Schütz also completed a shorthanded counterattack (39th). The final period became more rustic, with more crashing in the corners. And the “Schütz festival” continued. While the Roosters were desperate in attack, Aubry was unable to serve his colleagues in the power play, because an Iserlohn skate had already sent the puck over the line (55th). Kammerer scored again with the team in the majority and Justin Schütz put the final point on the scoreboard to make it 6-1 in the final minute. His grin was therefore even broader when he appeared for the interview after the game.

Moritz Müller receives the challenge cup – © Sportfoto-Sale (DR)

Playing:
Sharks: 30 Mirko Pantkowski – 57 Brady Austin, 7 Nick Bailen – 10 Justin Schütz, 89 Gregor MacLeod, 82 Alexandre Grenier; 91 Moritz Müller, 17 Jan Luca Sennhenn – 9 Maxi Kammerer, 15 Louis-Marc Aubry, 92 Håkon Hänelt; 47 Veli-Matti Vittasmäki, 55 Edwin Tropmann – 33 Tim Wohlgemuth, 18 Josh Currie, 62 Parker Tuomie; 22 Maximilian Glötzl, 53 Adam Almquist – 34 Elias Lindner, 5 Robin van Calster, 46 Kevin Niedenz
Roosters: 32 Hendrik Hane – 67 Stanislav Dietz, 79 Colin Ugbekile – 91 Michael Dal Colle, 18 Eric Cornel, 10 Tyler Boland; 16 Hubert Labrie, 2 Zach Osburn – 12 Maciej Rutkowski, 41 Brayden Burke, 71 Branden Troock; 55 Johannes Huß, 77 Colton Jobke – 19 Jake Virtanen, 9 Shane Gersich, 52 Sven Ziegler; 17 Emil Quaas, 22 John Broda – 63 Manuel Alberg, 14 Noel Saffran, 24 Lennard Nieleck

This is what Justin Schütz and Robin van Calster say about Cologne’s tournament victory

The goals were scored by:
1:0 (16:35) Schütz (Vittasmäki, MacLeod)
1:1 (28:26) Boland (Dal Colle, Dietz)
2:1 (34:37) Schütz (Bailen, MacLeod) PP1
3:1 (38:29) Schütz (MacLeod) SH1
4:1 (54:07) Aubry (MacLeod) PP1
5:1 (57:52) Kammerer (Almquist, Tuomie) PP1
6:1 (59:09) Schütz (Grenier, MacLeod)

Referee: Christopher Schadewald, David Cespiva (Dominic Borger, Frederic van Himbeeck)

Punish: KEC – 4 mins; ISR – 8 mins