2001–02 ISL season

The 2001–02 Ice Hockey Superleague season was the sixth season of the Ice Hockey Superleague (ISL).

Although the league started the season as the Sekonda Ice Hockey Superleague, Sekonda withdrew their sponsorship of the league in December 2001 and the league reverted to being known simply as the Ice Hockey Superleague. Benson & Hedges also withdrew their sponsorship of the Autumn Cup [cite web | first = Stuart | last = Hughes | publisher = BBC Sports Online | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/1257049.stm | title = Superleague needs a higher profile | date = 2001-04-02 | accessdate = 2007-12-14 ] and the competition ceased to take place.

Cardiff Devils were stripped of their franchise after the club went into voluntary liquidation. [cite web | publisher = BBC Sports Online | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/wales/1320814.stm | title = Cardiff loses Superleague status | date = 2001-05-09 | accessdate = 2007-12-14 ] Following the Newcastle franchise being taken over by the Eye Group, the Newcastle Jesters players were not paid and the club was eventually stripped of their franchise in October 2007 without having played a game. [cite web | first = Stuart | last = Hughes | publisher = BBC Sports Online | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/other_sports/1618133.stm | title = Jesters thrown out of Superleague | date = 2001-10-24 | accessdate = 2007-12-14 ]

There was trouble in Sheffield when the Cooke, Jenkinson and Smith consortium who bailed out the Steelers at the end of the previous season were denied the franchise in favour of the league's preferred bidder, Norton Lea. [cite web | first = Stuart | last = Hughes | publisher = BBC Sports Online | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/other_sports/1420911.stm | title = Sheffield steels itself for worst | date = 2001-07-03 | accessdate = 2007-12-14 ] After the Sheffield Arena refused to award ice time to Norton Lea, preferring to deal with the Cooke, Jenkinson and Smith consortium, the Cooke, Jenkinson and Smith consortium applied for the Sheffield Steelers to play in the second tier British National League. However, this application was refused [cite web | first = Stuart | last = Hughes | publisher = BBC Sports Online | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/other_sports/1483918.stm | title = Steelers denied BNL entry | date = 2001-08-10 | accessdate = 2007-12-14 ] and the club eventually continued in the ISL under the ownership of Norton Lea. [cite web | first = Stuart | last = Hughes | publisher = BBC Sports Online | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/1517682.stm | title = Steelers boss calls for fresh start | date = 2001-08-30 | accessdate = 2007-12-14 ]

As a replacement for the fixtures lost from the Newcastle Jesters games, the ISL arranged a new Ryder Cup style tournament between the ISL teams and teams from the Deutsche Eishockey-Liga (DEL) to be called the Ahearne Trophy to be played in February 2002. [Citation | first = Simon | last = Crosse | title = Top clubs challenge Germany | newspaper = The Daily Telegraph | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2001/11/29/soiceh30.xml | date = 29 November 2001 | accessdate = 2007-12-14 ]

After awarding three points for a win, two points for an overtime win and one point for an overtime loss the previous season, the league discontinued overtime and reverted to awarding two points for a win and one point for a draw.

Challenge Cup

All seven teams in the league competed in the Challenge Cup. The first round was the first home and away meeting of each team in the league with the points counting towards both the Challenge Cup table and the league table. The top four teams progressed to the semi finals. The semi finals were home and away games with the winner on aggregate progressing to the one off final game.

First round

Playoffs

All seven teams in the league took part in the playoffs. After an initial round where each team played all the other teams once the top four teams qualified for the finals weekend.

Round one

emi Finals

1st place vs 4th place
*Ayr Scottish Eagles 1-2 Manchester Storm

2nd place vs 3rd place
*Sheffield Steelers 3–2 London Knights

Final

Winner semi final 1 vs Winner semi final 2
*Manchester Storm 3–4 Sheffield Steelers (after overtime and penalty shootout)

coring leaders

The scoring leaders are taken from all league games.

*Most points: 59 Kevin Riehl (Belfast Giants)
*Most goals: 24 Chris Lipsett (Sheffield Steelers)
*Most assists: 37 Kevin Riehl (Belfast Giants)
*Most PIMs: 222 Barry Nieckar (Nottingham Panthers)

Awards

*Coach of the Year Trophy – Dave Whistle, Belfast Giants
*Player of the Year Trophy – Kevin Riehl, Belfast Giants
*Ice Hockey Annual Trophy – Jonathan Weaver, Ayr Scottish Eagles

All Star teams

References

* [http://www.ihjuk.co.uk/ Ice Hockey Journalists UK]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com/index.html The Internet Hockey Database]
* [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/malcolm.preen/hockey.html Malcolm Preen's Ice Hockey Results and Tables]

Footnotes