Amongst the various reasons Liam Kirk opted to sign a multi-year deal with Eisbären Berlin was to win.
The Polar Bears are reigning German champions and have won three of the last four playoffs.
Having shrugged off the disappointment of finishing second in the league campaign, Berlin has progressed to the playoff final in nearly flawless fashion.
Straubing Tigers put up some resistance at the quarter-final stage by taking a narrow 2-1 victory in game three. Berlin won a decisive game four overtime and clinched the series with a clinical 4-1 victory in game five.
Liam Kirk was a pivotal player for the German champions with three goals and six points in five games.
Not only did the British forward generate offence, but he’s also been used on the penalty kill, a move orchestrated toward the end of the regular season.
Across the five games, he spent almost nine minutes killing penalties to add another string to his bow.
All of Kirk’s six points were primary including a short-handed assist.
Berlin found another gear in the semi-final against Adler Mannheim.
After recording 3-1 and 2-0 victories, the Polar Bears overwhelmed their opponents with an offensive burst. Sweeping the series with 5-1 and 6-2 wins.
Kirk had less of an impact offensively. After scoring an even-strength goal in game one, the Maltby native failed to produce another point. He was at times part of a line that shut down Mannheilm’s offensive strength.
After having his ice time managed conservatively against Mannheim, not playing more than 17 minutes, he’ll be fresh for the final.
Berlin will have to sit and wait for their opponent with the possibility of an upset on the cards.
League winners ERC Ingolstadt is currently losing 2-1 in their series against Kölner Haie in what would be a shock result should the sixth-placed league team reach the finals.
The Polar Bears would certainly prefer to face the lower seeds, although it hasn’t been plain sailing against them this season. Berlin won the opening game 6-2 early in the season but would drop two decisions (2-3 SO and 3-5) before winning 5-4 in the most recent meeting of the teams.
The league winners versus the reigning champions. That is the final that those in charge of the DEL and the broadcasters would like to see.
ERC Ingolstadt held the upper hand in the regular season series. Berlin won the first meeting but were comprehensively beaten in the following three games, outscored 13-2. It would be the toughest out for Berlin but make no mistake that they are playing their best hockey of the season.
Kirk almost carried Litvinov to a championship last season and he’s gone one round further this time around with Berlin.
After being denied a chance to win with Peterborough in junior, a close run thing last year and general disappointment in the Arizona saga, a championship success would taste all the sweet for Great Britain’s greatest export.
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