Euro Hockey Challenge
The Euro Hockey Challenge is a competition of the twelve best European Hockey teams. It has been held since 2011 annually before the start of the World Cup in April and is considered the unofficial Hockey Championship.
Participant
Eligible are the twelve best European teams in the IIHF World Ranking.
For the discharge in 2013 are:
- Russia Russia
- Finland Finland
- Sweden Sweden
- Czech Republic Czech Republic
- Switzerland Switzerland
- Germany Germany
- Norway Norway
- Slovakia Slovakia
- Belarus Belarus
- Latvia Latvia
- Denmark Denmark
- France France
Mode
During the tournament, each team completed six games. Between the two teams, two games are played within two or three days in a country generally. All games will be included in a table.
The associations are divided into three pools. The classification is based on the IIHF World Ranking. The first four teams Pool A, the next six teams Pool B and the last three teams Pool C. All twelve teams form are divided into two groups A and B in turn. In the first phase in April 2011 to play two C- pool team in Group A against three B pool teams in Group A. Two Pool -A- teams A- Pool Teams and as well as a pool -C team in the group B play against three other Pool B teams in Group B. In the second season 2011/12 change the three Pool B teams respectively groups. The game is played in a three -point system, that is a victory for the respective team gets three points in a overtime win two points in a defeat after extra one point. Each season, each team plays six games.