Ivo
Jaschick's
Eye on Europe
Reporting from Germany
and
across Europe
European Champions 2007
DEL (Germany):
As it has been
predicted – not only by me – the
“Mannheim Eagles“ had been the best and were flying at the top.
When looking at the roster at the beginning of the season there seemed
to be the only problem to find a team. But Coach Greg Poss and Co-Coach
Teal Fowler formed a team out of many chiefs. After winning the “League
Cup” vs. the Cologne Sharks (6-5) they won the "double title" – as first
team – by defeating the extreme underdog “Nuremberg Ice Tigers” in the
“best of 5 series” in 3 games (3-2; 6-2; 5-2).
RSL
(Russia): Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL (Russia)Metallurg
Magnitogorsk defeated the favorite AK Bars Kazan in a hard fought series
with 3-2 (5-2; 1-5;4-1; 3-4; 2-1). Goalie Travis Scott was the
difference. After two years away from his wife he decided to take less
money to be with her and has signed a new contract with the German
League's the Cologne Sharks (DEL).
SM-Liiga (Finland):
After last year's break Karpat Oulu came back
and defeated Jokerit Helsinki in three games (3-2; 4-2; 5-2). Oulu is
the northernmost hockey city in Finland and where most of the electronic
industry is placed. Oulu went through the playoffs like a train: In the
first round they swept the Lahti Pelicans (4-0), in the semi finals the
Espoo Blues (3-0) and after the three game sweep of Jokerit they had a
record of 10 victories in 10 games.
Oddset-Ligaen (Denmark):
In the last 15 years one team is
dominating
the Danish hockey league: Herning Blue Fox. This year they won
their ninth title (and five Vice-champions) by defeating Aalborg.
GET
Ligaen (Norway): Valerenga Oslo celebrated it´s seventh
championship in the last ten years. In the finals they showed the team
of Storhamar Ishockey their limits by defeating them 4-1 (3-2; 2-1 after
shoot out; 1-4, 4-1; 4-2).
Elitserien
(Sweden): MODO Ornskoldsvik won the finals when battling
the rival Linkoppings HC. After 28 years of waiting, they won the title
for a second time. Many hockey greats such as Markus Naslund and Niklas
Sundstrom come from this town in the northeast of Sweden.
Erste
Bank Liga (Austria): Hardy Nilsson (SWE) is one of the
most successful coaches in Europe. After winning many championships in
Germany with different teams: Cologne (3 titles), Munich (1) and
Dusseldorf (1), Nilsson went back to Sweden to coach the national team.
With the Swedish Tre-Kronar-Team (Three Crowns) he achieved two silver &
two bronze medals during the world championships. He then became coach
of the Red Bulls Salzburg, Austria. After losing the finals last
season vs. Villach there was a rematch this season. And this time
Nilsson´s Red Bulls were champions after three victories in four games.
“Nationalliga
A” (Suisse): This was the third title in the last five
seasons for HC Davos. A goal in the 45. Minute scored by Robin
Leblanc in the decisive seventh game ensured the 28th title for Davos,
the club responsible for organizing the famous “Spengler Cup” every
year.
“Slovnaft
Extraliga” (Slovakia): In the last decade HC Slovan
Bratislava became champion for the 6th time. Runner up
was again HKM Zvolen which lost the first two matches in Bratislava in
the best of seven series.
“O2”
Extraliga (Czech Republic): Sparta Prague was
again in the finals and became “Czech Hockey Champions. All series –
quarterfinals to finals – are played in the best of seven modus and
Sparta showed in the last game that they are real champions in defeating
Moeller Pardubice with the score of 2-0 – a shutout victory in the last
game of the season.
Belarus:
On March 27, 2007 the record books of Belarus got a new
champion: Dinamo Minsk. On this day Dinamo – last year vice
champion – battled down Keramin Minsk. There are four teams located in
the capital Minsk playing in that league of 10 teams.
Latvia:
In the Latvian league there are playing six teams for the
championship. This time the 3rd “Riga 2000” became
champs by beating #1 ASK/Ogre 4-2 in the final round.
“Serie A1” (Italy):
The small market team of SG Cortina ended the reign of
ex-champion HC Milano Vipers who had been champion five times in a row
before. They became Italian champion for the 16th time – but
the first time after a 32-year drought (1975).
HOME
Copyright 2008 Western Hockey Network
March 21, 2007: German League (DEL) Playoff Preview
FEB 2007 -- Russian Super League Update
JAN 2007 -- German Elite League (DEL) Update
December 2006 -- Donald Brashear Feature Interview
NOV 8, 2006 -- Iserlohn Roosters Likely Headed to 1st Playoff Appearance
Sept/October 06: DEL Preview / Finland's Jokerit
