East European Hockey League

The East European Hockey League was a multinational ice hockey league to which clubs from the territory of the former Soviet Union belonged. The league existed from 1995 to 2004, but was dissolved in 2004 due to the inclusion of the top clubs from Kiev , Riga and Liepāja in the Belarusian league .

history

The league was founded in 1995 by teams from the former Soviet republics of Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine. Since the years of its establishment, the number of participating teams has increased steadily and other countries have joined. This gave the top clubs of the individual states the opportunity to play against the best clubs between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea at a higher level than in their home leagues. The rush to participate in the EEHL was after three years so great that the League in a 1998 EEHL A and a second-rate EEHL B are divided needed.

In 2004 the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association decided to open the country's top division to clubs from other countries. The top clubs from Kiev and Latvia then switched to the Belarusian extra league, which also meant the end of the EEHL.

Results

1995/96 season

In the first season of the EEHL, a double round of all teams involved was played. Afterwards, the teams in places 1 to 4 determined the champions of the league, the remaining teams played a so-called consolation round, each in a double round.

Preliminary round
Pl.	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	HK Nyoman Hrodna	28	26th	1	1	154: 057	53
2.	Polimir Navapolatsk	28	22nd	2	4th	175: 067	46
3.	Belstal Schlobin	28	15th	4th	9	113: 084	34
4th	Juniors Riga	28	13	3	12	122: 074	29
5.	HK Sokil Kiev	28	12	3	13	94: 086	27
6th	HK Kryschynka Kiev	28	7th	4th	17th	99: 136	18th
7th	SC Energija	28	6th	3	19th	77: 151	15th
8th.	HK Junost Minsk	28	0	2	26th	44: 223	2

Championship round
Pl.	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	HK Nyoman Hrodna	12	8th	1	3	36:23	17th
2.	Juniors Riga	12	6th	4th	2	43:34	16
3.	Polimir Navapolatsk	12	3	3	6th	33:39	9
4th	Belstal Schlobin	12	2	2	8th	29:45	6th

Consolation round
Pl.	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	HK Sokil Kiev	12	10	0	2	57:28	20th
2.	SC Energija	12	7th	0	5	45:39	14th
3.	HK Kryschynka Kiev	12	6th	1	5	46:53	13
4th	HK Junost Minsk	12	0	1	11	30:58	1

1996/97 season

The mode was changed for the 1996/97 season by replacing the championship round and consolation round with play-offs. The preliminary round was still completed in a double round, in the play-offs the mode best of three (quarter, semi-finals) or best of five (final, game for third place) applied. The EEHL also got growth through Olimpia Sosnowiec from Poland and Tiwali Minsk , while the team from Belstal Schlobin withdrew.

Preliminary round

Pl.	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	HK Sokil Kiev	32	27	3	2	198: 042	57
2.	Polimir Navapolatsk	32	25th	2	5	187: 073	52
3.	HK Nyoman Hrodna	32	18th	6th	8th	168: 080	42
4th	Tiwali Minsk	32	17th	5	10	124: 080	39
5.	Juniors Riga	32	14th	4th	14th	106: 109	32
6th	HK Junost Minsk	32	9	4th	19th	91: 145	22nd
7th	Olimpia Sosnowiec	32	7th	5	20th	90: 164	19th
8th.	HK Kryschynka Kiev	32	5	5	22nd	76: 164	15th
9.	SC Energija	32	4th	2	26th	74: 257	10

Playoffs

Since the Polish team Olimpia Sosnowiec withdrew before the playoffs, the Lithuanian representative SC Energija could participate in the playoffs. The champions of the 1996/97 season were the Latvian club Juniors Riga .

	Quarter finals					Semifinals					final
	1	HK Sokil Kiev	2
	9	SC Energija	0
						1	HK Sokil Kiev	2
						3	HK Nyoman Hrodna	0
	3	HK Nyoman Hrodna	2
	6th	HK Junost Minsk	0
											1	HK Sokil Kiev	2
											5	Juniors Riga	3
	2	Polimir Navapolatsk	2
	8th	HK Kryschynka Kiev	0
						2	Polimir Navapolatsk	1
											3rd place match
						5	Juniors Riga	2
	4th	Tiwali Minsk	1								2	Polimir Navapolatsk	3
	5	Juniors Riga	2								3	HK Nyoman Hrodna	1

1997/98 season

The EEHL returned to the old mode for the 1997/98 season and initially played a double round with two home and two away games against each opponent. This was followed by a championship round and a consolation round, taking the points from the preliminary round.

Preliminary round Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates Pt. 1. HK Sokil Kiev 36 30th 2 4th 160: 047 62 2. HK Nyoman Hrodna 36 28 4th 4th 171: 046 60 3. Polimir Navapolatsk 36 26th 3 7th 171: 075 55 4th Juniors Essamika Riga 36 23 2 11 149: 085 48 5. Tiwali Minsk 36 15th 2 19th 123: 106 32 6th HK Junost Minsk 36 15th 1 20th 141: 140 31 7th HK Berkut Kiev 36 12 4th 20th 100: 110 28 8th. HK Riga 36 8th 1 27 82: 177 17th 9. SC Energija 36 7th 1 28 88: 223 15th 10. HK Kryschynka Kiev 36 6th 0 30th 66: 242 12

Championship round Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates Pt. 1. HK Sokol Kiev 46 39 3 4th 213: 056 81 2. HK Nyoman Hrodna 46 35 4th 7th 216: 072 74 3. Polimir Navapolatsk 46 32 4th 10 211: 109 68 4th Juniors Essamika Riga 46 25th 3 18th 174: 130 53 5. Tiwali Minsk 46 17th 3 26th 148: 155 37 6th HK Junost Minsk 46 16 3 27 176: 200 35 Consolation round Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates Pt. 1. HK Berkut Kiev 48 20th 5 23 153: 133 45 2. HK Ldinka Kiev 48 13 2 33 103: 277 28 3. SC Energija 48 10 4th 34 122: 270 24 4th HK Riga 48 10 3 35 110: 224 23

1998/99 season

The EEHL introduced a new mode for the 1998/99 season, which initially provided for a double round with two home and two away games against each opponent. This was followed by a championship and a playoff qualifying round, to which other teams were accepted into the EEHL. The teams in places one to five received bonus points for the championship round according to their placement. The two best-placed teams in the championship round qualified directly for the playoff semifinals, while the three other participants in the championship round and the winner of the qualifying round in the quarter-finals played off the other two participants in the semifinals.

Round 1

Preliminary round
Pl.	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	HK Sokil Kiev	28	22nd	2	4th	125: 041	46
2.	HK Nyoman Hrodna	28	17th	4th	7th	106: 064	38
3.	Polimir Navapolatsk	28	14th	4th	10	98: 080	32
4th	Tiwali Minsk	28	12	4th	12	77: 085	28
5.	HK Berkut Kiev	28	12	4th	12	85: 072	28
6th	HK Junost Minsk	28	12	4th	12	111: 109	28
7th	HK Liepājas Metalurgs	28	10	3	15th	65: 089	23
8th.	HK Kryschynka Kiev	28	0	1	27	58: 185	1

round 2

Championship round Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates BP 1 Pt. 1. HK Sokil Kiev 2 16 10 3 3 65:32 5 28 2. HK Nyoman Hrodna 2 16 8th 3 5 55:49 4th 23 3. Polimir Navapolatsk 16 7th 2 7th 48:51 3 19th 4th Tiwali Minsk 16 4th 4th 8th 39:59 2 14th 5. HK Berkut Kiev 16 4th 2 10 37:53 1 11 1 bonus point corresponding to round 1 2 Direct qualification for the playoff semi-finals

Playoff qualification Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates Pt. 6th HK Liepājas Metalurgs 24 20th 1 3 166: 057 41 7th HK Kryschynka Kiev 24 16 2 6th 100: 080 34 8th. HK Sokil Kiev II 24 15th 0 9 114: 068 30th 9. HK Junost Minsk 24 10 4th 10 113: 105 24 10. SC Energija 24 8th 3 13 107: 110 19th 11. HK Nyoman Hrodna II 24 8th 2 14th 100: 141 18th 12. Chimik-SchWSM Nawapolazk 24 1 0 23 57: 196 2

Playoffs

	Quarter finals					Semifinals					final
						1	HK Sokil Kiev	3
	5	HK Berkut Kiev	2			5	HK Berkut Kiev	1
	4th	Tiwali Minsk	0								1	HK Sokil Kiev	3
											2	HK Nyoman Hrodna	0
						2	HK Nyoman Hrodna	3
	6th	HK Liepājas Metalurgs	2			6th	HK Liepājas Metalurgs	2
	3	Polimir Navapolatsk	1

1999/2000 season

For the 1999/2000 season the mode was changed again: In addition to the EEHL A , a second-rate EEHL B was created, in which five teams were included. However, only the EEHL A teams took part in the second round and the playoffs.

After a double round with two home and two away games against each opponent, a two-part second group phase followed for these teams, whereby the placement (even or odd) decided whether they belong to group A or B.

Round 1

EEHL A Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates Pt. 1. HK Sokil Kiev 28 19th 5 4th 123: 051 43 2. HK Liepājas Metalurgs 28 20th 2 6th 106: 054 42 3. HK Berkut Kiev 28 17th 5 6th 84: 056 39 4th Tiwali Minsk 28 14th 2 12 93: 097 30th 5. Polimir Navapolatsk 28 11 3 14th 87: 093 25th 6th HK Junost Minsk 28 10 3 15th 83: 090 23 7th HK Nyoman Hrodna 28 7th 4th 17th 73: 107 18th 8th. HK Kryschynka Kiev 28 1 2 25th 35: 136 4th

EEHL B Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates Pt. 1. Legion Kiev 14th 12 0 2 91: 037 24 2. Dinamo '81 Riga 16 9 1 5 61: 057 19th 3. HK Sokil Kiev II 14th 7th 2 5 57: 041 16 4th Essamika / Juniors Riga 16 6th 2 8th 67: 066 14th 5. HK Junost Minsk II 16 1 1 14th 42: 114 3

Round 2 of the EEHL A

Group A Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates Pt. 1. HK Sokil Kiev 12 8th 3 1 52:20 19th 2. HK Berkut Kiev 12 8th 2 2 52:22 18th 3. HK Nyoman Hrodna 12 4th 0 8th 33:47 8th 4th Polimir Navapolatsk 12 1 1 10 21:69 3

Group B Pl. team Sp S. U N Gates Pt. 1. HK Liepājas Metalurgs 12 10 0 2 71:29 20th 2. HK Junost Minsk 12 7th 0 5 63:47 14th 3. Tiwali Minsk 12 6th 1 5 52:61 13 4th HK Kryschynka Kiev 12 0 1 11 32:81 1

Playoffs of EEHL A

Quarter finals

Semifinals

final

A1

HK Sokil Kiev

2

B4

HK Kryschynka Kiev

0

A1

HK Sokil Kiev

3

A3

HK Nyoman Hrodna

2

B2

HK Junost Minsk

1

A3

HK Nyoman Hrodna

2

A1

HK Sokil Kiev

0

A2

HK Berkut Kiev

3

B1

HK Liepājas Metalurgs

2

A4

Polimir Navapolatsk

0

B1

HK Liepājas Metalurgs

1

3rd place match

A2

HK Berkut Kiev

3

A2

HK Berkut Kiev

2

B1

HK Liepājas Metalurgs

2

B3

Tiwali Minsk

0

A3

HK Nyoman Hrodna

0

2000/01 season

For the 2000/01 season, the league returned to its original mode. After a double round with two home and two away games against each opponent, playoffs followed for the first eight teams in the table. The playoffs were played in the best of three (quarter-finals) or best of five (semi-finals and finals) modes . The champions of the 2000/01 season were HK Berkut Kiev , who defeated the newly founded Latvian club HK Riga 2000 in the final series 3-0.

Preliminary round

Pl.	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	HK Berkut Kiev	32	23	5	4th	170: 049	51
2.	HK Nyoman Hrodna	32	20th	5	7th	143: 071	45
3.	HK Sokil Kiev	32	19th	6th	7th	128: 073	44
4th	Polimir Navapolatsk	32	18th	3	11	145: 108	39
5.	HK Liepājas Metalurgs	32	18th	3	11	111: 088	39
6th	HK Minsk	32	13	5	14th	128: 100	31
7th	HK Riga 2000	32	8th	8th	16	110: 117	24
8th.	HK Kiev	32	3	2	27	61: 224	8th
9.	SC Energija	32	2	3	27	73: 239	7th

Playoffs

	Quarter finals					Semifinals					final
	1	HK Berkut Kiev	2
	8th	HK Kiev	0
						1	HK Berkut Kiev	3
						5	HK Liepājas Metalurgs	0
	4th	Polimir Navapolatsk	1
	5	HK Liepājas Metalurgs	2
											1	HK Berkut Kiev	3
											7th	HK Riga 2000	0
	3	HK Sokil Kiev	0
	6th	HK Minsk	2
						6th	HK Minsk	0
						7th	HK Riga 2000	3
	2	HK Nyoman Hrodna	0
	7th	HK Riga 2000	2

2001/02 season

For the 2000/01 season, the mode of the EEHL was changed again: In addition to the EEHL A , a second-rate EEHL B was created, in which x teams were included. However, only the teams from EEHL A took part in the playoffs. The winner of group B played a relegation against the eighth place in group A, while the team in ninth place in group A was relegated directly to group B.

After a double round with two home and two away games against each opponent, the first seven teams in Group A were directly qualified for the playoff quarter-finals. The winner of the relegation qualified as the eighth team for the quarter-finals. In addition to the changes in the group division, the three-point rule and an extension was introduced, so that both teams received one point in the event of a tie after regular time.

Preliminary round

EEHL A Pl. team Sp S3 S2 U N1 N Gates Pt. 1. HK Liepājas Metalurgs 32 17th 1 4th 1 9 114: 078 58 2. HK Nyoman Hrodna 32 16 0 7th 2 7th 93: 079 57 3. HK Keramin Minsk 32 15th 1 6th 0 10 87: 068 53 4th HK Berkut Kiev 32 14th 3 4th 1 10 91: 081 53 5. HK Homel 32 12 2 7th 0 11 83: 083 47 6th HK Riga 2000 32 12 2 2 1 15th 111: 108 43 7th HK MGU Moscow 32 11 1 2 2 16 92: 116 39 8th. HK Sokil Kiev 32 11 0 3 2 16 83: 100 38 9. Polimir Navapolatsk 32 8th 0 1 1 22nd 96: 137 26th

EEHL B Pl. team Sp S3 S2 U N1 N Gates Pt. 1. HK Chimwolokno Mahiljou 28 25th 0 0 0 3 239: 048 75 2. HK Vitebsk 28 22nd 1 1 0 4th 204: 071 69 3. HK Donbass Donetsk 28 15th 1 0 0 12 139: 098 47 4th HK Prizma Riga 28 13 0 2 1 12 122: 138 42 5. SC Energija 28 13 0 1 0 14th 110: 142 40 6th HK Kiev 28 10 0 1 1 16 91: 135 32 7th HK Nyoman Hrodna II 28 7th 0 1 0 20th 77: 167 22nd 8th. Vityaz Kharkov 28 2 0 0 0 26th 51: 234 6th

Relegation

• HK Chimwolokno Mahiljou - HK Sokol Kiev 1: 3 (0-0.2-1.1-0)
• HK Sokol Kiev - HK Chimwolokno Mahiljou 4: 0 (1-0.3-0.0-0)

HK Sokol Kiev is the last team to qualify for the playoff quarter-finals.

Playoffs

	Quarter finals					Semifinals					final
	2	HK Nyoman Hrodna	0
	7th	HK MGU Moscow	2
							HK MGU Moscow	1
							HK Riga 2000	3
	3	HK Keramin Minsk	1
	6th	HK Riga 2000	2
												HK Riga 2000	2
												HK Liepājas Metalurgs	3
	1	HK Liepājas Metalurgs	2
	8th	HK Sokol Kiev	0
							HK Liepājas Metalurgs	3
											3rd place match
							HK Berkut Kiev	1
	4th	HK Berkut Kiev	2									HK MGU Moscow	0.5
	5	HK Homel	0									HK Berkut Kiev	1.5

2002/03 season

Division 1 Pl. team Sp S3 S2 N1 N Gates Pt. 1. HK Keramin Minsk 36 23 4th 2 7th 136: 084 79 2. HK Homel 36 23 4th 1 8th 139: 067 78 3. HK Sokil Kiev 36 18th 5 6th 7th 95: 067 70 4th HK Riga 2000 36 16 4th 4th 12 119: 112 60 5. HK Liepājas Metalurgs 36 17th 2 2 15th 107: 093 57 6th HK Chimwolokno Mahiljou 36 15th 6th 4th 13 100: 099 57 7th HK Nyoman Hrodna 36 8th 9 7th 12 102: 103 49 8th. Captain Stupino 36 9 2 4th 21st 83: 110 35 9. Polimir Navapolatsk 36 9 1 2 23 67: 141 30th 10. HK Vitebsk 36 5 1 5 25th 77: 138 22nd

Division 2 Pl. team Sp S3 S2 N1 N Gates Pt. 1. ASK Zemgale Jelgava 20th 18th 0 0 2 170: 044 54 2. SC Energija 18th 11 1 1 5 158: 068 36 3. HK Kiev 20th 11 1 0 6th 106: 058 35 4th Stalkers Daugavpils 20th 8th 3 3 6th 89: 066 33 5. HK Prizma Riga 18th 2 1 2 13 59: 147 10 6th Stoczniowiec Gdańsk II 18th 0 0 0 18th 22: 201 0

2003/04 season

Division A Pl. team Sp S3 S2 N1 N Gates Pt. 1. HK Keramin Minsk 30th 23 0 1 6th 125: 059 70 2. HK Homel 32 19th 1 2 10 119: 074 61 3. HK Chimwolokno Mahiljou 32 17th 2 0 13 90: 093 55 4th HK Sokil Kiev 32 17th 0 0 15th 103: 098 51 5. Titan Clin 30th 14th 2 0 14th 104: 092 45 6th HK Liepājas Metalurgs 32 13 2 2 15th 104: 092 44 7th HK Nyoman Hrodna 32 13 1 0 19th 95: 111 41 8th. HK Riga 2000 32 9 2 0 21st 79: 118 31 9. ASK / Ogre 36 5 0 1 26th 71: 140 16

Division B Pl. team Sp S3 S2 N1 N Gates Pt. 1. HK Vitebsk 20th 15th 0 0 5 166: 049 45 2. HK Kiev 20th 14th 0 1 5 82: 063 43 3. Junior Minsk 20th 10 2 1 7th 94: 082 35 4th HK Homel II 20th 11 0 0 9 85: 077 33 5. HS Riga 85 20th 4th 0 0 16 48: 133 12 6th HK Chimwolokno Mahiljou II 20th 3 0 0 17th 22: 201 9

EEHL B playoffs

Semifinals

• Junior Minsk - HK Homel II 2: 0 (5: 1, 6: 2)

final

• Junior Minsk - HK Vitebsk 2: 1 (4: 1, 2: 4, 4: 1)

EEHL Cup
Pl.	team	Sp	S3	S2	N1	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	Titan Clin	12	9	0	0	3	38:27	27
2.	HK Sokol Kiev	12	5	3	1	3	35:22	23
3.	ASK / Ogre	12	6th	1	1	4th	46:40	21st
4th	HK Liepājas Metalurgs	12	6th	1	0	5	56:48	20th
5.	HK Riga 2000	12	5	1	0	6th	43:35	17th
6th	Stoczniowiec Gdańsk	12	4th	0	0	8th	25:30	12
7th	TKH Toruń	12	0	0	0	12	26:67	0

Master of EEHL

2003/04 HK Keramin Minsk 2002/03 HK Keramin Minsk 2001/02 HK Liepājas Metalurgs

2000/01 HK Berkut Kiev 1999/00 HK Berkut Kiev 1998/99 HK Sokol Kiev

1997/98 HK Sokol Kiev 1996/97 Juniors Riga 1995/96 HK Njoman Hrodna

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.hockeyarchives.info/Est1996.htm
2. ↑ http://www.hockeyarchives.info/Est1997.htm
3. ↑ hockey.org.ua, 1996/97 2-ой чемпионат ВЕХЛ ( Memento from October 24, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
4. ↑ hockey.org.ua, EEHL 1997/98 ( Memento of October 24, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
5. ↑ hockey.org.ua, EEHL 1998/99 ( Memento of October 24, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
6. ↑ hockeyarchives.info, Ligue d'Europe de l'Est 1999/2000

Web links

• Eternal table and top scorer (Russian)
• Statistics on the website of the Ukrainian Ice Hockey Federation ( Memento from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
• EEHL playoffs