Bears suffer defeat in the Champions League match, held in Klagenfurt.
The Berlin Polar Bears, the German team set to play at the Wellblechpalast on September 5, faced a tough challenge against Austrian record champions Klagenfurt AC in the Champions League preliminary round. The match, played at the Heidi-Horten Arena by the Wörthersee, saw a dramatic turn of events.
In the first period, the Berlin Polar Bears took the lead with Erik Hördler scoring the opening goal, giving them a 1:0 advantage. However, the momentum shifted after the break. Klagenfurt AC equalized through Nicholas Petersen (24th minute) and took the lead with Mathias From's goal (28th minute). Luka Gombac scored again for Klagenfurt AC to extend their lead to 3:1 (37th minute).
The Berlin Polar Bears responded with a strategic move in the final period, replacing their goalie with an additional field player, but they were unable to score the equalizer. Leo Pföderl managed to level the score at 2:2 (33rd minute), but it was not enough to secure a win for the home team.
This loss marks the Berlin Polar Bears' first in the Champions League preliminary round. Each team in the competition will face six different opponents during this stage. The top 16 teams from the preliminary round will qualify for the round of 16.
The Berlin team will host Lukko Rauma, Finland's top team, on September 5 in the Wellblechpalast. This will be the team's first home game in the Champions League. The French champions Grenoble will be the guests of the Berlin team on September 7 in the Wellblechpalast, marking the team's second home game in the competition.
All teams in the Champions League will be listed in an overall table based on their performance in the preliminary round. The Wellblechpalast will host the Berlin team's home games in the Champions League. The head coach for the Berlin Polar Bears is Serge Aubin, while Tomi Lämsä leads Lukko Rauma. Klagenfurt AC, the team the Berlin Polar Bears faced in the match, is the Austrian record champions.
