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{{Infobox hockey team | {{Infobox hockey team | ||
| team | | team = HK Liepāja | ||
| colour = | | colour = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#006244 5px solid; border-bottom:#D8101B 5px solid; | ||
| colour text= | | colour text = #000000 | ||
| logo = HK | | logo = HK Liepāja logo.png | ||
| logosize = | | logosize = 210px | ||
| city = [[ | | founded = 2014 | ||
| league = [[Latvian Hockey League]] | | folded = | ||
| city = [[Liepāja]], Latvia | |||
| arena = Liepājas Olimpiskā Centra ice hall | |||
| capacity = 1143<ref name="LOC">{{cite web|title=LOC|url=https://loc.lv/lv/ledus-halle/|publisher=Liepājas Olimpiskā Centra ledus halle|language=latvian|access-date=February 17, 2021}}</ref> | |||
| league = '''[[Latvian Hockey League|Optibet Hockey League]]'''<br/> 2014 - 2022 | |||
| division = | |||
| conference = | | conference = | ||
| | | uniform = | ||
| | | colours = Green, red, white<br />{{color box|#006244}} {{color box|#D8101B}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} | ||
| | | president = | ||
| | | honors = | ||
| | | parentclub = | ||
| | |affiliates = | ||
| website | |website = [https://hkliepaja.lv/ hkliepaja.lv] | ||
| name1 | | <!---Championships---> | ||
| dates1 | | championships = '''1''' ([[2015–16 Latvian Hockey League season|2016]]) | ||
| name2 | <!---Franchise history---> | ||
| dates2 | | name1 = | ||
}} | | dates1 = | ||
'''HK Liepāja''' | | name2 = | ||
| dates2 = | |||
}} | |||
[[File:HK Liepaja.jpg|thumb|200px]] | |||
'''HK Liepāja''' are a [[Latvia|Latvian]] professional [[ice hockey]] team that plays in the [[Latvian Hockey League|Optibet Hockey League]], the top tier of the sport in Latvia. The team is based in [[Liepāja]] and play their home games at the [[Liepājas Olimpiskā Centra ice hall]]. | |||
They | ==History== | ||
'''Hokeja Klubs Liepāja''' was founded in 2014,<ref name="About">{{cite web|title=Par klubu - HK Liepāja|url=https://hkliepaja.lv/about/|publisher=HK Liepāja|language=latvian|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> following the collapse of the previous team in the city; [[HK Liepājas Metalurgs]] folded as a result of their title sponsor, Liepājas Metalurgs, pulling funding as a result of financial difficulties steming from the Great Recession.<ref name="AboutOHL">{{cite web|title=Par mums - Optibet Hockey League|url=https://www.optibethokejaliga.com/par-mums|publisher=[[Latvian Hockey Higher League|Optibet Hockey League]]|language=latvian|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> Several months later, the company would declare themselves insolvent.<ref>{{cite web|title=Liepājas metāla sirds stājas; gaidāms dzīves līmeņa kritums reģionā|url=http://www.db.lv/zinas/kvv-liepajas-metalurgs-trauksme-par-situaciju-uznemuma-ir-parspileta-442961|publisher=[[Diena|Diena Bizness]]|language=latvian|date=November 5, 2013|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> The eight Latvian championships won by won HK Liepājas Metalurgs is, as of February 2021, the most won by any team.<ref name="AboutOHL"/> | |||
HK Liepāja began play in the [[2014–15 Latvian Hockey League season]] and immediately assembled a strong side, finishing 2nd in the regular season before losing in the play-offs semi-finals to [[HK Kurbads]]. They would pick up a medal however, as they beat [[HK Zemgale/LLU|HK Zemgale]] in the bronze medal game.<ref name="About"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Elite Prospects - Team Standings Latvia - 2014-15|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/latvia/standings/2014-2015|publisher=EliteProspects.com|language=english|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> The team fared even better in their [[2015–16 Latvian Hockey League season|second season]], finishing 1st in the regular season, before going on to claim the Latvian championship by beating [[HK Kurbads]] in the play-off final.<ref>{{cite web|title=Elite Prospects - Team Standings Latvia - 2015-16|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/latvia/standings/2015-2016|publisher=EliteProspects.com|language=english|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> The [[2016–17 Latvian Hockey League season|following season]] saw Liepāja finish 4th overall, before losing in the play-off semi-finals to [[HK Mogo]]. The [[2017–18 Latvian Hockey League season|2017-18 season]] saw the team improve in the regular season, finishing 2nd, however, they again losing in the play-off semi-finals to Kurbads, who would ultimately go on to win the league. In the off-season the team parted ways with Head Coach Igors Ļebedevs, who subsequently joined [[HK Zemgale/LLU|HK Zemgale]] as an Assistant Coach,<ref>{{cite web|title=Kuļibaba turpinās vadīt "Zemgali/LLU", asistēs Ļebedevs|url=http://sportacentrs.com/hokejs/latvijas_cempionats/06082018-kulibaba_turpinas_vadit_zemgali_llu_asist|publisher=sportacentrs.com|language=latvian|date=August 6, 2018|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> and replaced him with Maksims Bogdanovs.<ref>{{cite web|title=HK ''Liepāja'' trenēs Maksims Bogdanovs|url=http://sportacentrs.com/hokejs/latvijas_cempionats/18042018-hk_liepaja_trenes_maksims_bogdanovs|publisher=sportacentrs.com|language=latvian|date=April 18, 2018|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> Under their new coach, Liepāja's fortunes worsened, finishing the 2018-19 season in 5th place, causing them to miss out on the play-offs for the first year since their inception.<ref>{{cite web|title=HTeam Standings Latvia 2018-19|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/latvia/standings/2018-2019|publisher=EliteProspects.com|language=english|access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref> The 2019-20 season saw the team finish in 4th place before the play-offs were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the off-season, Bogdanovs was replaced with former [[Kontinental Hockey League|KHL]] Head Coach and General Manager Normunds Sējējs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Normunds Sējējs pievienojas hokeja klubam "Liepāja"|url=https://sports.tvnet.lv/7084501/normunds-sejejs-pievienojas-hokeja-klubam-liepaja|publisher=[[:lv:TV NET|TV NET]]|language=latvian|date=October 12, 2020|access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref> | |||
Due to winning the Latvian league in 2016, the team qualified for the [[IIHF Continental Cup 2017]], where they were drawn in Group B alongside Turkish side [[Zeytinburnu Belediyespor]], [[CH Jaca]] of Spain, and British champions [[Nottingham Panthers]]. HK Liepāja would comfortably beat both CH Jaca and Zeytinburnu Belediyespor before losing their final game against the Panthers.<ref name="CC">{{cite web|title=Games - CCB - International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF|url=http://continental-cup2017-groupb.iihf.hockey/en/games/|publisher=[[International Ice Hockey Federation|IIHF]]|language=english|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> As a result, Liepāja finished 2nd in their group, and did not progress any further in the comeptition.<ref name="CC"/> The Panthers, who finished Group B in 1st place, would ultimately go on to win the Continental Cup.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nottingham Panthers win Continental Cup with 4-1 win over Ritten|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/38632311|publisher=[[BBC]]|language=english|date=January 15, 2017|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> | |||
In 2020 HK Liepāja took place in the inaugural [[Baltic Hockey League]], a competition made up of two teams from each of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Liepāja represented Latvia alongside compatriots HK Mogo.They went on to win their group, beating both Estonian outfit [[HC Everest]], and [[Hockey Punks Vilnius]] of Lithuania.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lietuva always h`ockey!|url=http://www.hockey.lt/index.php/baltic-league/baltijos-ledo-ritulio-lyga--d-kasparaicio-grupe/118639|publisher=[[Lithuanian Ice Hockey Federation]]|language=english|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> As a result they progressed to the final round, due initially to take place in December 2020, however, this was postponed until February 2021 as a result of several HK Mogo players having been exposed to COVID-19.<ref name="delayed">{{cite web |title= COVID-19 virusas jaukia Baltijos lygos planus: nukeliamas finalinio ketverto turnyras|url=http://www.hockey.lt/index.php/naujienos/covid-19-virusas-jaukia-baltijos-lygos-planus-nukeliamas-finalinio-ketverto-turnyras/118957|publisher=[[Lithuanian Ice Hockey Federation]]|language=lithuanian|date=December 15, 2020|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> In early February the final round was again postponed due to the pandemic, with the date to be announced when the Covid situation improves.<ref name="delayed2">{{cite web |title= Baltijos lygos finalinis ketvertas dar kartą nukeliamas |url=http://www.hockey.lt/index.php/naujienos/baltijos-lygos-finalinis-ketvertas-dar-karta-nukeliamas/119405|publisher=[[Lithuanian Ice Hockey Federation]]|language=lithuanian|date=February 4, 2021|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> | |||
==Season-by-season record== | |||
'''''Note:''' GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes'' | |||
{| cellpadding=5 | |||
|- bgcolor="#dddddd" | |||
| '''Season''' || '''League''' || '''GP''' || '''W''' || '''L''' || '''T''' || '''OTW''' || '''OTL'''|| '''Pts''' || '''GF''' || '''GA''' || '''Finish''' || '''Playoffs''' | |||
|- | |||
| [[2015–16 Latvian Hockey League season|2015-16]] || [[Latvian Hockey League]] || 30 || 22 || 5 || — || 1 || 2 || 70 || 165 || 93 ||style="background:gold;"| 1st ||style="background:gold;"| '''Champion''' | |||
|- bgcolor="#dddddd" | |||
| [[2016–17 Latvian Hockey League season|2016-17]] || [[Latvian Hockey League]] || 30 || 18 || 12 || — || 0 || 0 || 54 || 182 || 99 || 4th || Semi-final loss | |||
|- | |||
| [[2017–18 Latvian Hockey League season|2017-18]] || [[Latvian Hockey League|Optibet Hockey League]] || 30 || 17 || 7 || — || 3 || 3 || 60 || 144 || 94 ||style="background:silver;"| 2nd || Semi-final loss | |||
|- bgcolor="#dddddd" | |||
| 2018-19 || [[Latvian Hockey League|Optibet Hockey League]] || 36 || 14 || 18 || — || 2 || 2 || 48 || 100 || 120 || 5th || Did not qualify | |||
|- | |||
| 2019-20 || [[Latvian Hockey League|Optibet Hockey League]] || 35 || 20 || 10 || — || 3 || 2 || 48 || 132 || 94 || 4th || Playoffs cancelled | |||
|} | |||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Latest revision as of 14:53, 30 July 2024
| HK Liepāja | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City: | Liepāja, Latvia |
| League: | Optibet Hockey League 2014 - 2022 |
| Founded: | 2014 |
| Home Arena: | Liepājas Olimpiskā Centra ice hall |
| Colors: | Green, red, white |
HK Liepāja are a Latvian professional ice hockey team that plays in the Optibet Hockey League, the top tier of the sport in Latvia. The team is based in Liepāja and play their home games at the Liepājas Olimpiskā Centra ice hall.
History
Hokeja Klubs Liepāja was founded in 2014,[1] following the collapse of the previous team in the city; HK Liepājas Metalurgs folded as a result of their title sponsor, Liepājas Metalurgs, pulling funding as a result of financial difficulties steming from the Great Recession.[2] Several months later, the company would declare themselves insolvent.[3] The eight Latvian championships won by won HK Liepājas Metalurgs is, as of February 2021, the most won by any team.[2]
HK Liepāja began play in the 2014–15 Latvian Hockey League season and immediately assembled a strong side, finishing 2nd in the regular season before losing in the play-offs semi-finals to HK Kurbads. They would pick up a medal however, as they beat HK Zemgale in the bronze medal game.[1][4] The team fared even better in their second season, finishing 1st in the regular season, before going on to claim the Latvian championship by beating HK Kurbads in the play-off final.[5] The following season saw Liepāja finish 4th overall, before losing in the play-off semi-finals to HK Mogo. The 2017-18 season saw the team improve in the regular season, finishing 2nd, however, they again losing in the play-off semi-finals to Kurbads, who would ultimately go on to win the league. In the off-season the team parted ways with Head Coach Igors Ļebedevs, who subsequently joined HK Zemgale as an Assistant Coach,[6] and replaced him with Maksims Bogdanovs.[7] Under their new coach, Liepāja's fortunes worsened, finishing the 2018-19 season in 5th place, causing them to miss out on the play-offs for the first year since their inception.[8] The 2019-20 season saw the team finish in 4th place before the play-offs were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the off-season, Bogdanovs was replaced with former KHL Head Coach and General Manager Normunds Sējējs.[9]
Due to winning the Latvian league in 2016, the team qualified for the IIHF Continental Cup 2017, where they were drawn in Group B alongside Turkish side Zeytinburnu Belediyespor, CH Jaca of Spain, and British champions Nottingham Panthers. HK Liepāja would comfortably beat both CH Jaca and Zeytinburnu Belediyespor before losing their final game against the Panthers.[10] As a result, Liepāja finished 2nd in their group, and did not progress any further in the comeptition.[10] The Panthers, who finished Group B in 1st place, would ultimately go on to win the Continental Cup.[11]
In 2020 HK Liepāja took place in the inaugural Baltic Hockey League, a competition made up of two teams from each of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Liepāja represented Latvia alongside compatriots HK Mogo.They went on to win their group, beating both Estonian outfit HC Everest, and Hockey Punks Vilnius of Lithuania.[12] As a result they progressed to the final round, due initially to take place in December 2020, however, this was postponed until February 2021 as a result of several HK Mogo players having been exposed to COVID-19.[13] In early February the final round was again postponed due to the pandemic, with the date to be announced when the Covid situation improves.[14]
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
| Season | League | GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2015-16 | Latvian Hockey League | 30 | 22 | 5 | — | 1 | 2 | 70 | 165 | 93 | 1st | Champion |
| 2016-17 | Latvian Hockey League | 30 | 18 | 12 | — | 0 | 0 | 54 | 182 | 99 | 4th | Semi-final loss |
| 2017-18 | Optibet Hockey League | 30 | 17 | 7 | — | 3 | 3 | 60 | 144 | 94 | 2nd | Semi-final loss |
| 2018-19 | Optibet Hockey League | 36 | 14 | 18 | — | 2 | 2 | 48 | 100 | 120 | 5th | Did not qualify |
| 2019-20 | Optibet Hockey League | 35 | 20 | 10 | — | 3 | 2 | 48 | 132 | 94 | 4th | Playoffs cancelled |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Par klubu - HK Liepāja" (in latvian). HK Liepāja. https://hkliepaja.lv/about/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Par mums - Optibet Hockey League" (in latvian). Optibet Hockey League. https://www.optibethokejaliga.com/par-mums.
- ↑ "Liepājas metāla sirds stājas; gaidāms dzīves līmeņa kritums reģionā" (in latvian). Diena Bizness. November 5, 2013. http://www.db.lv/zinas/kvv-liepajas-metalurgs-trauksme-par-situaciju-uznemuma-ir-parspileta-442961.
- ↑ "Elite Prospects - Team Standings Latvia - 2014-15" (in english). EliteProspects.com. https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/latvia/standings/2014-2015.
- ↑ "Elite Prospects - Team Standings Latvia - 2015-16" (in english). EliteProspects.com. https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/latvia/standings/2015-2016.
- ↑ "Kuļibaba turpinās vadīt "Zemgali/LLU", asistēs Ļebedevs" (in latvian). sportacentrs.com. August 6, 2018. http://sportacentrs.com/hokejs/latvijas_cempionats/06082018-kulibaba_turpinas_vadit_zemgali_llu_asist.
- ↑ "HK Liepāja trenēs Maksims Bogdanovs" (in latvian). sportacentrs.com. April 18, 2018. http://sportacentrs.com/hokejs/latvijas_cempionats/18042018-hk_liepaja_trenes_maksims_bogdanovs.
- ↑ "HTeam Standings Latvia 2018-19" (in english). EliteProspects.com. https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/latvia/standings/2018-2019.
- ↑ "Normunds Sējējs pievienojas hokeja klubam "Liepāja"" (in latvian). TV NET. October 12, 2020. https://sports.tvnet.lv/7084501/normunds-sejejs-pievienojas-hokeja-klubam-liepaja.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Games - CCB - International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF" (in english). IIHF. http://continental-cup2017-groupb.iihf.hockey/en/games/.
- ↑ "Nottingham Panthers win Continental Cup with 4-1 win over Ritten" (in english). BBC. January 15, 2017. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/38632311.
- ↑ "Lietuva always h`ockey!" (in english). Lithuanian Ice Hockey Federation. http://www.hockey.lt/index.php/baltic-league/baltijos-ledo-ritulio-lyga--d-kasparaicio-grupe/118639.
- ↑ "COVID-19 virusas jaukia Baltijos lygos planus: nukeliamas finalinio ketverto turnyras" (in lithuanian). Lithuanian Ice Hockey Federation. December 15, 2020. http://www.hockey.lt/index.php/naujienos/covid-19-virusas-jaukia-baltijos-lygos-planus-nukeliamas-finalinio-ketverto-turnyras/118957.
- ↑ "Baltijos lygos finalinis ketvertas dar kartą nukeliamas" (in lithuanian). Lithuanian Ice Hockey Federation. February 4, 2021. http://www.hockey.lt/index.php/naujienos/baltijos-lygos-finalinis-ketvertas-dar-karta-nukeliamas/119405.
External links
- Team profile on eurohockey.com