The favorites won at the start of the semi-final playoffs in the German Ice Hockey League.
Defending champions and main round winners Eisbären Berlin defeated Adler Mannheim 4:3 (2:1, 1:1, 0:1) in the first of five possible games on Wednesday.
Second in the preliminary round, EHC Red Bull Munich, clearly won 5-1 (2-0, 2-0, 1-1) against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg and also leads the best-of-five series 1-0.
In Berlin there was a real playoff thriller in front of 9418 spectators.
Giovanni Fiore (8th minute) and Jonas Müller (12th) quickly put the club in the capital ahead.
Andrew Desjardins (18th) and Jason Bast (23rd) were able to equalize.
Yannick Veilleux (34th) scored the 3:2 for the current champions in the middle third.
Mannheim was able to equalize again through Tim Wohlgemuth (47th).
In the extra season, Manuel Wiederer made the decision.
Game two will take place on Friday (7:30 p.m./Magentasport) in Mannheim.
In Munich, on the other hand, it quickly became clear.
Captain Patrick Hager (13th minute/23rd), Benjamin Street (17th), Konrad Abeltshauser (36th) and Benjamin Smith (42nd) scored the goals for the dominant hosts.
"It's good for us because we all feel good now," said goal scorer Abeltshauser at Magentasport.
"Everyone has a lot of self-confidence again."
Jordan Murray (53rd) could only shorten the disappointing Wolfsburg in the final third.
"Today it looked like we weren't that ready," said Wolfsburg defender Björn Krupp.
“Today Munich was better.
We have to show a reaction and of course give everything at home in Wolfsburg.” The second meeting will take place on Friday (7.30 p.m. / Magentasport) in Wolfsburg.