Surprise factor at ERC Ingolstadt in DEL: New Advent Austen Keating is the best scorer of the league leader

The view of the top scorers of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) reveals the usual suspects: the Berlin duo Leo Pföderl and Ty Ronning, there would be a formative participation in the polar bear championship of the previous year. Or the DEL scorer Chris Desousa from Munich and Matt White from Wolfsburg, which has been constant for years. Hardly anyone there suspected a name at the beginning of the season: Austen Keating.

The Canadian attacker of ERC Ingolstadt brings some special features: the 25-year-old is one of the very few young North Americans in the DEL, and his first stop in Europe is also his first as a professional. Keating has played at university level for the past few years, only at the end of last season he sniffed profile air in a few games, mostly in the third -class Echl. The German elite league is a “new animal“So he says, i.e. a different collar width. Instead of junior ice hockey, his everyday life has been called men’s ice hockey since summer.

And now that the main round is coming to an end, one can safely say that Keating tamed this animal called DEL. With his 18 goals, he is Ingolstadt’s best goal scorer and one of the best in the league, hit number 18 last Sunday in the 5-2 derby in Augsburg. It was the seventh victory of the Ingolstadt series in a row. However, this Wednesday does not have the opportunity to extend them: The duel against the second and defending champion Eisbären Berlin (7.30 p.m.) is postponed. A malignant tumor was found in Berlin’s ice hockey national player Tobias Eder, 26, in the summer of last year. Due to Eder’s “critically deteriorated state of health”, the polar bear team does not see itself able to compete, both clubs said. The Ingolstadt residents are now playing against the Cologne Haie next Friday.

Did he expect Keatings strong development so quickly? ERC coach Mark French says that he did not know-and indicates that he had probably not expected it so quickly. Keatings game is already impressively complete. The striker is an important factor in the Forecheck, plays outnumbered and outnumbered and helps his team with his presence in front of the opposing goal. He trained the robustness from an early age in ice hockey with his three older brothers. He is a very smart and persistent player, praises French – and also down -to -earth.

Because Keating hit so quickly, Ingolstadt extended his contract even faster until 2027

At Keatings, the question for ERC sports director Tim Regan was committed “how quickly he adapts to European ice hockey”. Keating, who was considered a role player at the beginning of the season, gave the answer quite quickly and very impressive. Now Regan says that Keating is a player “who reliably does his tasks in all situations”. A value that describes the reliability of an ice hockey player is the plus minus statistics. With the exception of goals in majority and goals conception, every player who stands on the ice at the moment of his team at the moment of his team will receive a plus, and also a minus when his team collects a goal – so she distinguishes responsible players. Keating is at plus 22 – and thus occupies second place in the league. “My defensive game has developed over the past three or four years and is one of my greatest strengths,” says Keating.

Such impressive statistics only come about in a team sport through successful interaction. In the case of Keating, it is his series of attacks that makes it possible: Together with Daniel Pietta and Philipp Krauss, he forms one of the most successful formations in the league. Keating and Krauss, 23, enforce many opposing disc losses with their energetic forecheck and make it difficult for the opponent to come from his own third. Between the two, the experienced Daniel Pietta conducts the events with his game intelligence and calm and ensures the necessary balance. Pietta “directs the ship,” says Keating.

Since the Canadian hit the DEL so quickly, ERC tried early to extend its one -year contract. This was achieved at the end of December, Keating signed a contract until 2027. “We have all the prerequisites to continue to be successful,” says Keating. He alluded to the coming years – and almost certainly on the upcoming playoffs.