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2024 2025 Continental Cup

bv29

bv29

Registered User
Nov 29, 2022
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Tomorrow starts first round with games in group A and B. Group A host is Sofia and group B estonian Narva.

In Narva it's between lithuanian Energija and host Narva PSK, while in group A Crvena Zvezda is clear favourite and should cakewalk into 2nd round.
 
bv29 said:
In Narva it's between lithuanian Energija and host Narva PSK
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Energija should have a relatively easy time as well since the Estonian flagship team with a hint of professionalism - HC Panter - one that plays in the Baltic (Latvian) league, effectively didn't participate in the Estonian championship while Lithuanian teams that take part in the said league simply played for the Lithuanian title amongst themselves. So official Estonian champions - Narva - is actually a second-tier team.

For comparison's sake, Energija has 13 players who have represented Lithuanian men's NT in competition games at some point (6 of those in the most recent WC), while Narva has 4 such players, none of whom have played for it recently. Basically it's a team for Narva natives who were unable or unwilling to leave town.

If the Spanish champions Jaca bring the same team they had last year they should beat Narva with relative ease as well and be our main opponents. While their EP roster is inaccurate after some looking around their website it appears to be the case.
 
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bv29 said:
while in group A Crvena Zvezda is clear favourite and should cakewalk into 2nd round.
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Well, Crvena Zvezda is already on the backfoot following a close game. I guess the Belgians do fancy themselves having another shot going through to the next round.
 
It isn't that big of a surprise either, they have some impressive players for this level. One of their imports played in the French League Magnus just last season, another has solid seasons in Poland, Romania. That's the kind of players who would easily be leaders on the Serbian NT (pretty much exactly the same level as Mirko Djumic) while Red Star is a skimmed version of it.
 
I can't say I am surprised. They did put on a strong performance last year in Latvia, even if they lost all 3 games. I remember Paulus, I believe, almost laughing from exhaustion next to Karsums standing quietly as they were holding off Zemgale and still trying to tie the game in the last seconds.

Not allowing myself to have a peak at Sisak vs Irbis game as it looks like it is pure slaughter.

Meanwhile, Jaca is quietly cruising against Narva. Decent loss for Skautafélag Reykjavikur to Energija.
 
FrHockeyFan said:
Decent loss for Skautafélag Reykjavikur to Energija.
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Energija scored twice in the first minute of the game and from that point on it looked like playing on battery-saving mode.

I'm glad Energija - Jaca game (most likely a decider) is tomorrow when teams are at least somewhat reasonably fit to play. Sunday games are usually just a pure struggle.
 
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Do CC winner still gets CHL wild card invite ?

FrHockeyFan said:
Not allowing myself to have a peak at Sisak vs Irbis game as it looks like it is pure slaughter.
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An absolute meatgrinder by Sisak, but in Irbis defence they had like 7 or 8 guys that are 2007. or 2008. born.
 
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Energija won in a pretty calm fashion 6-1, allowing the only goal with 28 seconds left to the final whistle.
 
bv29 said:
Sisak toyed with Liege....:huh:
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They did strengthen their roster with a good few decent players ahead of their inaugural AlpsHL campaign.

I haven't seen the game but, based on the summary, it looks like the Bulldogs got frustrated after the first period and lost their discipline so I would say it could have been worse and they can thanks once again Passingham for keeping the score closer, though not enough as it's now over for them.

As one can expect both Liège and Jaca taking regulation wins tomorrow, it looks like it will be Sisak and Energija going through.
 
So Sisak and Energija confirmed today with their third wins of the weekend. Irbis is currently having another tough night to Liège. Probably the upset of this first round is Skautafélag Reykjavikur earning themselves a win in OT over Jaca today.

Next round groups on October 18-20 are:

Group C in Ritten, Italy
- Ritten Buam (ITA, AlpsHL)
- HDD Acroni Jesenice (SLO, AlpsHL)
- HK Sokil Kyiv (UKR, UHL)
- KHL Sisak (CRO, AlpsHL)

Group D in Braşov, Romania
- HK Mogo (LAT, OHL)
- Ferencvárosi TC (HUN, Erste Liga)
- CSM Corona Braşov (ROM, Erste Liga)
- Energija Elektrenai (LTU, OHL)
 
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FrHockeyFan said:
Group C in Ritten, Italy
- Ritten Buam (ITA, AlpsHL)
- HDD Acroni Jesenice (SLO, AlpsHL)
- HK Sokil Kyiv (UKR, UHL)
- KHL Sisak (CRO, AlpsHL)
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In their first Alps league game Sisak took Jesenice to OT and yesterday they destroyed Gherdeina (7:1). How Sokol and Ritten compare to Jesenice ?
 
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bv29 said:
In their first Alps league game Sisak took Jesenice to OT and yesterday they destroyed Gherdeina (7:1). How Sokol and Ritten compare to Jesenice ?
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Ritten is a league's powerhouse while Jesenice is a mid-table team. Sokil is probably, to my eyes, slightly weaker than Jesenice. Their top players like Mazur, Zakharov or Borodai would do just fine in the AlpsHL but the defense seems pretty thin.
 
SoundAndFury said:
Ritten is a league's powerhouse while Jesenice is a mid-table team. Sokil is probably, to my eyes, slightly weaker than Jesenice. Their top players like Mazur, Zakharov or Borodai would do just fine in the AlpsHL but the defense seems pretty thin.
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Given the strong start of Sisak in Alps league - which includes 8:4 road victory against last year's finalist Cortina - this could be anyone's group for take.
 
bv29 said:
Given the strong start of Sisak in Alps league - which includes 8:4 road victory against last year's finalist Cortina - this could be anyone's group for take.
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Yeah, it's hard to say if Sisak is the new powerhouse of the league or if they're just experiencing a Cinderella scenario similar to Vegas' first season. Feels like the case can be made for either.
 
FrHockeyFan said:
Nope. Last one was 2022 winner Cracovia.
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According to this text, they say winner will play in CHL next season


"Kontinentālā kausa uzvarētāja nopelna tiesības nākamajā sezonā spēlēt IIHF Čempionu līgā."

translate - "The winner of the Continental Cup earns the right to play in the IIHF Champions League the following season."

I don't know if it is pure speculation on their side or they know something we don't...
 
I would rather say they didn't update their info. The CHL board won't confirm before March the 5 Challenger Leagues for next season and I seriously doubt the Continental Cup will be one of them.

Meanwhile, Group C livestream will be available on the IIHF's Facebook page. The Ukrainian NA is also streaming Sokil's games on its YouTube channel. For the other participating countries, the AlpsHL's streaming platform Valcome.tv will do the job, charging €7.50 per game.



 
So Group C is ending with a final between Ritten and Jesenice.

Meanwhile, Braşov is holding the cards in Group D over Ferencvárosi and Mogo, thanks to their comeback-from-behind OT wins over them.
 
Yeah, Sisak's AlpsHL regular season play didn't carry over. I guess being a new team they just cared about games there that much more than their opponents at the start of the season.
 
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