Juniors Riga
| Juniors Riga | |
|---|---|
| City: | Riga, Latvia |
| League: | Latvian Hockey League |
| Founded: | 1993 |
| Home Arena: | Riga Sporta pils |
| Franchise history | |
| 1993-1997: | Juniors Riga |
| 1997-2000: | Juniors Essamika Riga |
The Juniors Riga were an ice hockey team in Riga, Latvia. They played in the Latvian Hockey League and the Eastern European Hockey League.
History
The Juniors Riga were founded in 1993 and first took part in the Latvian Hockey League. With the establishment of the Eastern European Hockey League in 1996, the Juniors were included in this multinational league, and finished runner-up in their first season. They also played in the Latvian league in the 1995-96 season, losing in the semifinals to Essamika Ogre. A year later, the club became EEHL champions by defeating Sokol Kiev in three games to two in a five-game series.
The club participated in the 1997-98 IIHF Continental Cup. They won their group in the preliminary round and the first group stage, before bowing out in the second group stage.
Before the 1997-98 season, the team found a new sponsor, so they were renamed Essamika Juniors Riga. They finished fourth in the EEHL in both the first round and the championship round.
Due to financial problems, an affiliation with LB Prizma Riga and Essamika Ogre was set up for 1998-99. The squad, composed mostly of junior players, played in the LHL as LB/Essamika/Juniors-82 Riga, finishing in fourth place.
The club folded after the 1999-00 season, in which they participated in the Latvian Hockey League and the EEHL Division B under the name Essamika Ogre/Juniors Riga.