2003–04 Eliteserien season

The 2003–04 Eliteserien season ended with Storhamar Dragons claiming their fifth Norwegian title after defeating Vålerenga in double overtime in game 7. Michael Smithurst scored the game winner nearly two minutes into the second extra period in front of 7,405 spectators.[1]

2003–04 Eliteserien season
LeagueEliteserien
SportIce hockey
Number of teams10
Regular-season winnerStorhamar Dragons
ChampionsStorhamar Dragons

Regular season

Final standings
Rk Team Pts W OTW OTL L GF-GA
1 Storhamar Dragons 9429238151-87
2 Vålerenga 9228329183-89
3 Trondheim Black Panthers 83253212160-100
4 Frisk Tigers 74205413152-118
5 Sparta Warriors 64192318124-126
6 Stavanger Oilers 63191418163-152
7 Stjernen 62166219152-137
8 Bergen Flyers 43113424105-173
9 Lillehammer 42122226101-154
10 Manglerud Star 134013780-235

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the regular season.[2]

Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
Jari Kesti Stavanger Oilers 40263763+3140
Tommy Kiviaho Frisk Tigers 41272754+2320
Ilya Dubkov Trondheim Black Panthers 42322153+2970
Tomi Suoniemi Stavanger Oilers 40202545+1720
Teemu Kohvakka Stavanger Oilers 41182745+580
Tom Erik Olsen Storhamar Dragons 40281644+3218
Patric Englund Vålerenga 40212344+2320
Lars Erik Spets Lillehammer 40281543−1012
Morten Bakkene Stavanger Oilers 41232043+1918
Jan Morten Dahl Trondheim Black Panthers 40103141+20147

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the conclusion of the regular season.[3]

Player Team GP TOI W L GA SO Sv% GAA
Jonas Bertil Norgren Storhamar Dragons 221,285:41--34692.341.59
Tommy Lund Vålerenga 291,736:29--61591.132.11
Henrik Smångs Sparta Warriors 291,807:55--84190.752.79
Halvor Hårstad-Evjen Frisk Tigers 281,568:52--61290.722.33
Rolf Joakim Wiberg Trondheim Black Panthers 412,428:22--89590.652.20

GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average

Playoffs

After the regular season, the new standard of eight teams qualified for the playoffs. In the first round, the two highest remaining seeds were drawn against the two lowest remaining seeds; in the second round, the highest remaining seed was drawn against one of the two lowest. In each round the higher-seeded team was awarded home ice advantage, giving them a possible maximum of three home games as opposed to the lower-seeded team's possible maximum of two. Each best-of-five series followed a 1–2–1–1 format: the higher-seeded team played at home for games 2 and 3 (plus 5 if necessary), and the lower-seeded team at home for games 1 and 4 (if necessary).[4]

The final was contested between the Storhamar Dragons and Vålerenga for the second consecutive year. In 2003, the championship had been decided in four straight games when Vålerenga won 4–0 to claim their 22nd title and 18th "double". As in the previous season, the 2004 final was played as a best-of-seven series following a 1–1–1–2–1–1 format. Storhamar, as league champions, were seeded first and played at home for games 2, 4, 5 and 7.[4] They took the lead after winning the first game 2–1 in overtime, but failed to capitalize, losing their first home game 0–4. The third and fourth games were both won by the home side. Game 5 saw Vålerenga achieve an away win in overtime to lead the series 3–2, but Storhamar came back to claim another overtime victory in Oslo and force a seventh, championship deciding game at Hamar OL-Amfi. A record 7,405 spectators turned out for the first game 7 in the history of the Norwegian Championship, in which Storhamar's Michael Smithurst scored the winning goal after 21 minutes and 54 seconds of overtime.[5][6]

Bracket
  Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
                           
  1 Storhamar Dragons 3  
8 Bergen Flyers 0  
  1 Storhamar Dragons 3  
  6 Stavanger Oilers 0  
2 Vålerenga 3
  7 Stjernen 1  
(Pairings are re-seeded after the first round)   1 Storhamar Dragons 4
  2 Vålerenga 3
  3 Trondheim Black Panthers 1  
6 Stavanger Oilers 3  
  2 Vålerenga 3
  4 Sparta Bears 1  
4 Sparta Bears 3
  5 Frisk Tigers 2  

Source: hockey.no

Norwegian Champions
2004
Storhamar Dragons
5th title

Qualifying for UPC-ligaen 2004–05

Final standings
Team GP W OTW SOW OTL SOL L GF GA Pts
1Lillehammer (Q)6400101221413
2Comet (Q)6221001241512
3Manglerud Star6301114261911
4Hasle/Løren600000615390

GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTW = Overtime Wins; OTL = Overtime Losses; SOW = Shootout Wins; SOL = Shootout Losses; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against; Pts = Points; Q = Qualified
Source: speaker.no

Game log
Qualifying for UPC-ligaen 2004–05 Game Log
Rounds 1–6

References
  1. http://www.dragons.no/statistikk/content.asp?menuItem=11&docID=12480&elmID=9145 Boxscore Game 7 03-04 Finals
  2. "Scoring Leaders - Eliteserien 03/04". Norwegian Ice Hockey Association. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  3. "Leading Goaltenders - Eliteserien 03/04". Norwegian Ice Hockey Association. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  4. "Sluttspill om Norgesmesterskapet menn 2003/2004". Norwegian Ice Hockey Association (in Norwegian). 2004-03-28. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  5. "Smithurst fikset festen". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). 2004-03-28. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  6. "Boxscore Game 7: Storhamar – Vålerenga". Norwegian Ice Hockey Association. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
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