Elite Ice Hockey League
The Rapid Solicitors Elite Ice Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey Superleague, it is the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom.
The league currently consists of ten teams, with representation from all four Home Nations - the only league in any sport to do so. In seven completed seasons, the league has been won by three different teams. As of the 2012-13 Season the league will feature a northern conference (Gardiner Conference, named for Scottish-born former NHL goalie Charlie Gardiner) featureing Braehead (SCO), Dundee (SCO), Edinburgh (SCO), Fife (SCO) and Hull (ENG) and a Southern conference (Erhardt Conference, named for 1936 English Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist Carl Erhardt) featuring Belfast (NIR), Cardiff (WAL), Coventry (ENG), Nottingham (ENG) and Sheffield (ENG). Teams play each team in their conference 4 times at home and 4 times away from home, and each team in the other conference twice at home and twice away.
2 points for a win or 1 point each for a tie at 60 minutes plus 1 point for win after overtime and/or penalty shots.
Team finishing 1st in each conference will be Elite Ice Hockey League Conference Champions, both conference champiosn are guaranteed a top 2 seeding in the play offs and the top team will win the regular season title which is considered more valuable than even the play offs.
The top four teams from each conference qualify for the Elite Ice Hockey League Playoffs.
N.B. Some Elite League games may also count as Challenge Cup games and points count for both.
The Belfast Giants were crowned the 2011–12 Champions on 17 March 2012 after defeating runners-up Sheffield Steelers.
Read more about Elite Ice Hockey League: Overview, History, Clubs, Players, Media Coverage, Champions, Comparison To Other Leagues, Criticism of The EIHL, Expansion, Records
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