IIHF Continental Cup 2003

The IIHF Continental Cup 2002/ 03 was the sixth edition of the discharged by the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF competition. The final round, called the Super Final was held in January 2003 in Lugano and Milan.

Five of the eight finalists were set. The three other participants in the Super Final was determined in three qualifying rounds.

• 3.1 Group F
• 3.2 Group G
• 3.3 Group H
• 3.4 Group I

• 4.1 Group J
• 4.2 Group K
• 4.3 Group L

• 5.1 Group M
• 5.2 Group N
• 5.3 Final Games
• 5.4 Winning Team

Participant

In the competition for the Continental Cup attended a total of 44 teams from 25 European countries.

• Bulgaria HK Slawia Sofia
• Jokerit Helsinki Finland
• Finland Mikkeli Jukurit
• France Brûleurs de Loups de Grenoble
• France Dragons de Rouen
• Israel HC Ma'alot
• Italy Asiago
• Italy HC Milano Vipers
• Kazakhstan Kaszink - Torpedo Ust- Kamenogorsk
• Croatia KHL Medveščak Zagreb
• Croatia KHL Zagreb
• Latvia Liepaja Metalurgs HK
• Latvia HK Riga 2000

• Lithuania 1989 SC Energia Elektrėnai
• Netherlands Tilburg Trappers
• Netherlands boretti Tigers Amsterdam
• Norway Storhamar Dragons
• Norway Vålerenga IF Oslo
• GKS Katowice Poland
• Poland Dwory S.S.A. Unia Oświęcim
• Romania CS Progym Gheorgheni
• CSA Steaua Bucharest Romania
• Russia Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
• Switzerland Davos
• Switzerland HC Lugano
• Serbia and Montenegro HK Vojvodina Novi Sad

• Serbia and Montenegro HK Red Star Belgrade
• Slovakia HC Slovan Bratislava
• Slovenia HK Sportina Bled
• Slovenia HK Acroni Jesenice
• HDD Olimpija Ljubljana Slovenia
• Spain FC Barcelona HG
• Spain Club Hielo Jaca
• Turkey Büyükşehir Belediyesi Ankara SK
• Sokol Kiev Ukraine HK
• Hungary Dunaferr Dunaújváros
• Hungary Alba Volán Székesfehérvár

First round

The tournaments of the first qualifying round were played between 20 and 22 September 2002 in five venues. The winner of five tournaments qualified for the second round.

Group A

The games in Group A were held in Palao de Hiel in Barcelona.

Group B

The Tournament Venue of Group B was Amsterdam, as a venue served the Jaap Eden Hal. The Kazakh representatives, Kaszink - Torpedo Ust- Kamenogorsk, was charged with three wins clear winner of the tournament and moved into the second qualifying round.

Group C

The Group C matches were played in the Romanian Gheorgheni. Venue of the tournament was the Patinoarul Artificial. Tournament winner was the HK Acroni Jesenice, who won on goal difference compared to the KHL Medveščak Zagreb, reaching the second round of the cup competition.

Group D

The games in Group D were held in the Ledena dvorana Pionir in Belgrade. The tournament was won by the team of Dunaferr Dunaújváros that prevailed in the deciding game to win the tournament with 11-0 against Red Star Belgrade HK and thus moved into the second round of the Cup. Throughout the tournament, the Hungarian team also did not concede.

Group E

Venue of Group E was the ice rink Székesfehérvár Székesfehérvár in Hungary. The host club, Alba Volán Székesfehérvár, prevailed with three wins and qualified for the second round.

Second Round

The tournaments of the second qualifying round were held from 18 to 20 October 2002 four venues. The respective tournament winner reached the third qualifying round.

Group F

The games in Group F were held in Patinoire L'île Lacroix in Rouen, France. The tournament had to be canceled due to a defect in the cooling system on the morning of October 20. The Ayr Scottish Eagles had won the tournament but already on the second match and sporty qualified for the next round. Since the club from Scotland but a short time later went bankrupt, took the runner-up Dragons de Rouen part in the third qualifying round.

Group G

The matches in Group G were held in Linz indoor ice rink. Here, the host EHC Linz sat with three wins by clear and reached the third round.

Group H

Venue of Group H was the Olimpiskā Ledus hall in Liepaja Latvia. Based on the obtained direct comparison against the HK Neman Grodno Jukurit Mikkeli was the tournament to decide for themselves, while the host HK Liepaja Metalurgs finished only last place.

Group I

The games in Group I were held in Hala Lodowa in Polish Oświęcim. Here, Dunaferr Dunaújváros sat down opposite his national competitors Alba Volán Székesfehérvár by direct comparison due to the recovered and reached the third round.

Third Round

The three tournaments to the finals were held from 22 to 24 November 2002, three theaters. The three tournament winners qualified for the Super Final.

Group J

Venue of Group J was Belfast in Northern Ireland. Here, all games were played in the 8,000 -seat Odyssey Arena. The host Belfast Giants sat down with three wins clear through, reaching the Super Final.

Group K

The games in Group K were held in the Italian Asiago. Venue of the tournament was the Stadio Odegar. Tournament winner was the HK Keramin Minsk, who thus qualified for the Super Final.

Group L

The tournament of group L was held in Bratislava, Slovakia. Venue was the Zimný Štadión Ondreja Nepelu. In the final group game have the imaging HC Slovan Bratislava handed a draw against EC VSV win the tournament and the related qualification for the Super Final.

Super Final

The tournament for the Super Final was held from 10th to 12th January 2003 two venues. Here, within the two groups, the participants were first played in the Finals, and determines the ranking for placement games.

Group M

The matches of the group M were held in Resega in the Swiss Lugano.

Group N

The matches of the group N were held in Fila Forum in Milan, Italy.

Final Games

In the final of the Continental Cup Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and Jokerit Helsinki clashed. Due to good goalkeeper benefits the game was only decided in the shootout, with Jukka Voutilainen scored the decisive goal against the Russian goalkeeper Yegor Podomazki. This Jokerit Helsinki wins the first Continental Cup in club history.

The match for third place was won by the host HC Lugano against the HK Keramin Minsk 5-0, with the first four goals were scored in the first third, and so the game was decided early.

Winning team

Goalkeeper Markus Helanen, Kari Lehtonen

Defender: Markus Kankaanperä, Ilkka Mikkola, Antti - Jussi Niemi, Terran Sandwith, Mika Strömberg, Arto Tukio, Ari Vallin

Attacker: Antti Aalto, Sean Bergheim, Jukka Hentunen, Teemu Laine, David Nemirovsky, Petri Pakaslahti, Ville Peltonen, Jussi Pesonen, Toni Sihvonen, Tommi Turunen, Tomek Valtonen, Timo Vertala, Jukka Vuotilainen

Head coach Raimo Summanen