Overview
- Kölner Haie beat five-time CHL winner Frölunda HC 5–2 at home, a victory that came before a CHL-record crowd of 18,104 and moved the club to eight of nine possible points in the group stage.
- The match on Thursday completed Cologne's third straight result after earlier wins over Red Bull Salzburg and Tappara, putting the Haie provisionally near the top of the 24-team ligaphase where 16 teams advance to the knockouts.
- Eisbären Berlin recovered from heavy away losses in Switzerland with a 4–1 home win over Graz99ers on Friday, but they remain outside the top 16 and must win remaining fixtures to improve their qualification chances.
- Adler Mannheim won 5–4 in Bordeaux on Friday for their second victory of the group phase, a result that places them provisionally on course for the knockout stage after half the ligaphase matches.
- The early results underline rising fan interest and venue pressures in Europe’s club competition, with German teams benefiting from strong crowds while smaller arenas such as Berlin’s Wellblechpalast shape home atmospheres ahead of the DEL season.