The Polish Hockey League so far

17 Jan 2012 | Kamil Przegendza

Kamil Przegendza gives us a short review on what has happened in the Polish League so far during the 2011/2012 season.

The Polish Ice Hockey League isn’t a very good league in Europe, but it can give very positive emotions. Before the season some of clubs had very big financial troubles. Some of them didn't start the season, Naprzód Janów and Energa Stoczniowiec Gdańsk. Two other clubs have financial problems till today but they are still playing in the league, Zagłębie Sosnowiec and MMKS Podhale Nowy Targ. And because of these problems there are only 8 teams facing themselves.

In the beginning of the season there weren’t any sensations. Clubs without financial problems were wining all matches against clubs from the bottom of the table. Between the first five clubs there were very small differences, and the same situation was for the last four clubs. After first round (7 matches) JKH Jastrzębie Zdrój was leading the league with 20 points at the account. The weakest team was MMKS Podhale Nowy Targ with only 3 points.

In the second round we have been witnesses of few sensations but these sensations weren’t reasons of changes in lead. After two round of matches (14 matches) there was no change in the top of table still on the lead was JKH Jastrzębie Zdrój with 32 points, behind them was GKS Tychy with 31 points. MMKS Podhale was last but tied with Zagłębie Sosnowiec with 7 points.

In the third round there was a big wake up for Zagłębie Sosnowiec, who won four out of seven games (one after extra time). They won against : Unia Oświęcim, GKS Tychy, Nesta Toruń and after extra time with MMKS Podhale Nowy Targ. There were few changes in the lead. Team KH Sanok won 6 for 7 matches and only one after extra time, after these wins they took the lead with 47 points. At the bottom of table Podhale was losing to Nesta Toruń 1 point. But Toruń was losing 6 points to Zagłębie yet.

The fourth round saw no big suprises. Leading the league was still Sanok which players have collected 65 points. At the bottom Toruń was a few points ahead of Nowy Targ and Zagłębie Sosnowiec had given 6 additional points to advantage between them and two last teams.

In the fifth round which is currently on the way. Zagłębie Sosnowiec have won third time a row with their rival GKS Tychy. KH Sanok have won two matches and added 5 points to their account and is still in the lead. Fascinating is that GKS Tychy is currently down in fifth place. They were for a very long time just behind the leader on second place. After few defeats in row they fired their coach Jacek Płachta. At Saturday they hired a new coach in Wojciech Matczak (last he was working in Zagłębie Sosnowiec).

Season is still open and everything could happen. We just hope that there will be no financial problems and corruption so that the Polish Hockey League will be dominated by sports emotions and not financial.