A Look at the 3 League Champions

[dstevensonjr 353]

With the S89 playoffs coming to a close, it's a good time to take a look back at the three winners, their Championship history, and how long it's been since they sipped the champagne at the end of the season. Let's take a look!

 

VHL Champions

 

  HC Davos Dynamo  

 

11th Championship Win in 89 seasons

First Title since S61

 

The only one of our three league champions to end a long drought, HC Davos crushed a 27 season titleless run. One of the original franchises in the VHL, the Dynamo won 10 Continental Cup's in their first 61 seasons, along with 17 Finals appearances. After that run to start their franchise, it took Davos until S87 to make it back to the last round, where they lost to Calgary. The Dynamo wouldn't be stopped this year, defeating the Vancouver Wolves in 6 games. Vancouver won the first 2 games of the series, but it was Davos claiming 4 straight games and the Cup. This win for the Dynamo brings them back into a tie with the Helsinki Titans for the second most Championships in VHL history.

 

VHLE Champions

 

  Cologne Express  

 

2nd Championship Win in 10 seasons

First Title since S87

 

Cologne's title comes just 2 seasons after their first Renaissance Cup back in S87, which was preceded by 2 trips to the Finals in S82 and S85. The Express swept aside the Istanbul Red Wolves in 4 games to win this season, losing only one game in these playoffs. This fourth appearance in the E Final has moved Cologne into a tie for second most appearances with Oslo. The second title also moves the Express into second place in Championships behind Oslo.

 

VHLM Champions

 

  San Diego Marlins  

 

2nd Championship Win in 24 seasons

First Title since S86

 

Much like the Cologne Express in the E, San Diego won their second title in a short span, this one coming 3 seasons after their first Founder's Cup in S86. The Marlins beat the Reapers in 5 games to claim their Championship after beating the Lynx and the 21st in the first two rounds. With San Diego being a newer franchise relative to the longer running teams in the VHLM, they've had a shorter timeframe to win their 2 titles, yet they still sit sixth among the ten active teams. 

[animal74 1,749]

Nice recap!