2012–13 EIHL season

The 2012–13 Elite Ice Hockey League season was the tenth season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The regular season began on Saturday 8 September 2012 and ended on Sunday 24 March 2013, followed by the Play-Offs which culminated in the end-of-season Play-Off Finals on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 April 2013.[1]

2012–13 EIHL season
LeagueElite Ice Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationSeptember - March
Regular season
ChampionsNottingham Panthers
Playoffs
ChampionsNottingham Panthers
Challenge Cup
ChampionsNottingham Panthers
Conferences
Gardiner championsBraehead Clan
Erhardt championsBelfast Giants

This season saw the introduction of a new two conference format, in which the ten participating teams were split into two conferences of five teams. The Gardiner Conference, named after former Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Charlie Gardiner, comprised the five northernmost mainland teams (Braehead Clan, Dundee Stars, Edinburgh Capitals, Fife Flyers and Hull Stingrays) and the Erhardt Conference, named after the captain of the British 1936 Winter Olympics gold medal winning team Carl Erhardt, comprised the four southernmost mainland teams (Cardiff Devils, Coventry Blaze, Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers) and one team from Northern Ireland (Belfast Giants).[2] The most prestigious honour remained the overall League Championship, awarded to the team with the most points gained from all league games (conference and inter-conference games). The season also included the end-of-season Play-Offs and the Challenge Cup.

Nottingham Panthers proved to be the dominant team of the season, clinching the Elite League Championship – their first British League Championship title for 57 years – when they defeated their nearest challengers Belfast Giants 5–3 at the Odyssey Arena on Friday 15 March 2013. However, the Giants would prevent the Panthers achieving a regular season double of League and Conference titles by shading a very close Erhardt Conference title race on regulation time wins after both teams finished level on points. The Gardiner Conference proved even more exciting with all five teams never being more than a few wins apart, at one stage towards the end of the season only one point separating first and last place. Braehead Clan eventually ran out Conference Champions in a very successful first season for the new two-conference format.

The Challenge Cup was won for the fourth successive season by Nottingham Panthers, clinching their second honour of the season by defeating Sheffield Steelers 5–3 on aggregate in the two-legged final. The Panthers then overcame a big scare at the hands of Fife Flyers in the Play-Off Quarter-Finals to defeat Cardiff Devils in the Semi-Finals and then Belfast Giants 3–2 in overtime in the Final. This third successive Play-Offs victory also gave them the treble of League Championship, Play-Offs and Challenge Cup, the first time the treble has been won since Coventry Blaze's success in 2004–05.

This season was the 10th Anniversary of both the EIHL League and the EIHL Play-Offs. In what is referred to as the 'Final Four Weekend', the Semi-Finals and Final of the Play-Offs were played on consecutive days at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 April 2013.

Team Information

TEAM CONFERENCE CITY/TOWN ARENA CAPACITY
Belfast GiantsErhardt BelfastOdyssey Arena8,300
Braehead ClanGardiner GlasgowBraehead Arena3,750
Cardiff DevilsErhardt CardiffCardiff Arena2,500
Coventry BlazeErhardt CoventrySkyDome Arena3,000
Dundee StarsGardiner DundeeDundee Ice Arena2,400
Edinburgh CapitalsGardiner EdinburghMurrayfield Ice Rink3,800
Fife FlyersGardiner KirkcaldyFife Ice Arena2,414
Hull StingraysGardiner HullHull Arena3,150
Nottingham PanthersErhardt NottinghamNational Ice Centre6,900
Sheffield SteelersErhardt SheffieldMotorpoint Arena8,500

Regular season

The League Championship was played for over 52 games, each team playing teams in their own conference eight times (four home and four away) and teams in the other conference four times (two home and two away).

The Conference Championships were played for over 32 games, each team playing teams in their own conference eight times (four home and four away).

Teams were awarded two points for a win (in regulation time, overtime or shoot-out), one point for a tie (in regulation time but loss in overtime or shoot-out) and no points for a loss (in regulation time). Teams level on points were separated by (1) total number of games won in regulation time, (2) total number of all games won, (3) results between teams or (4) fewest losses.[3]

The top eight teams in the League Championship qualified for the Play-Offs.[4]

Results

HOME ▼ / AWAY ► GARDINER CONFERENCE ERHARDT CONFERENCE
BC DS EC FF HS BG CD CB NP SS
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E
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C
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E
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C
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Braehead Clan
All results by date
5–2
3–4
6–3
4–3
6–3
6–1
3–4
1–4
4–3
5–3
3–4
5–1
4–3
2–1
4–1
1–2
2–3
2–6
5–7
2–6
5–2
4–5
1–5
0–5
2–7
4–5
Dundee Stars
All results by date
5–3
4–1
2–4
3–0
3–2
5–4
2–0
2–3
3–4
6–5
4–1
5–4
3–2
2–1
8–7
5–0
2–5
0–2
1–9
4–2
2–3
3–4
1–5
1–4
3–4
1–3
Edinburgh Capitals
All results by date
1–4
8–4
5–3
5–2
5–2
3–4
8–2
4–2
5–2
2–3
7–2
2–4
4–3
1–3
6–2
9–5
1–4
3–2
4–2
3–6
0–1
6–2
0–5
1–6
2–3
2–3
Fife Flyers
All results by date
5–1
2–3
1–3
4–1
1–2
6–3
5–0
5–3
2–1
4–1
7–1
5–1
4–3
3–2
5–1
4–2
1–3
4–1
4–2
5–4
3–2
3–2
3–5
2–10
4–2
3–6
Hull Stingrays
All results by date
4–5
6–4
2–7
3–2
1–3
4–3
5–1
5–3
6–3
1–0
2–3
4–3
5–4
3–2
5–2
3–1
1–4
2–3
2–1
2–4
2–7
4–1
1–3
1–3
2–4
1–3
HOME ▲▼ / AWAY ►BCDSECFFHSBGCDCBNPSS
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Belfast Giants
All results by date
4–3
2–6
2–1
2–5
9–1
5–0
5–1
3–0
5–4
5–4
6–3
4–1
5–4
5–0
4–1
4–3
2–5
8–2
3–2
2–3
3–5
5–2
1–5
3–0
1–4
3–1
Cardiff Devils
All results by date
3–4
5–1
4–2
3–2
4–1
4–5
4–0
3–1
2–1
2–3
0–4
4–3
3–4
3–5
5–2
1–4
4–3
2–3
2–1
2–3
2–4
3–6
3–4
2–1
1–2
4–5
Coventry Blaze
All results by date
5–1
2–0
6–0
4–1
5–2
3–2
4–3
6–3
2–1
3–2
5–4
5–8
0–2
2–4
2–1
3–4
3–6
4–3
5–2
0–8
1–4
2–6
3–4
0–3
5–3
3–8
Nottingham Panthers
All results by date
5–4
7–3
5–1
8–1
10–0
1–2
7–1
5–3
6–0
8–4
3–5
3–2
6–1
4–5
4–2
5–0
4–1
4–3
4–2
4–3
1–0
8–3
2–3
3–2
4–2
2–0
Sheffield Steelers
All results by date
7–3
7–2
5–4
3–1
1–2
2–3
4–2
3–0
4–0
4–3
5–4
2–1
1–2
2–3
2–4
2–3
5–4
4–3
7–5
3–4
3–2
4–2
1–2
9–4
2–4
5–2
HOME ▲ / AWAY ►BCDSECFFHSBGCDCBNPSS
GARDINER CONFERENCEERHARDT CONFERENCE

Grid Colours: Blue = league & conference games; Pink = league games.

Result Colours: Black = regulation time result; Green = overtime result; Red = shoot-out result.

League Standings

PS TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA WROS LROS L10 STK
1Nottingham Panthers5242918523211135–1–69–0–19–1–0W2
2Belfast Giants52371057919113233–1–310–2–38–2–0W3
3Sheffield Steelers52351437318413328–5–214–0–35–4–1L1
4Coventry Blaze52242265415618118–3–322–4–25–5–0L3
5Cardiff Devils52212385016016816–4–123–2–61–8–1L1
6Edinburgh Capitals52222644814918418–1–326–3–16–4–0W2
7Fife Flyers52232724815417617–2–427–1–15–5–0W3
8Braehead Clan52202664616320016–0–426–6–03–5–2L1
9Dundee Stars52192764413819414–3–227–2–43–7–0L3
10Hull Stingrays52172694313718515–2–026–2–75–5–0W1

Conference Standings

Gardiner Conference

PS TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA WROS LROS L10 STK
1Braehead Clan32171233710910214–0–312–3–04–5–1L1
2Fife Flyers3217132361089513–2–213–1–15–5–0W3
3Dundee Stars32171413510211112–3–214–0–13–7–0L3
4Hull Stingrays3214117359711112–2–011–1–66–3–1L1
5Edinburgh Capitals32151433310910613–0–214–2–16–3–1W2

Erhardt Conference

PS TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA WROS LROS L10 STK
1Belfast Giants322165471168918–0–36–2–38–2–0W3
2Nottingham Panthers322381471198117–0–68–0–18–2–0W2
3Sheffield Steelers3218122381048914–2–212–0–26–4–0L1
4Coventry Blaze32918523871347–2–018–4–13–6–1L2
5Cardiff Devils32918523831166–3–018–1–40–9–1L1

Team Records

Play-Offs

The Quarter-Finals were played over two legs, home and away. The Semi-Finals and Final were played over a single leg at a neutral venue, the National Ice Centre, in the 'Play-Off Finals Weekend'.

The Play-Off seeds were (1) Nottingham Panthers, (2) Belfast Giants, (3) Braehead Clan, (4) Sheffield Steelers, (5) Coventry Blaze, (6) Cardiff Devils, (7) Edinburgh Capitals and (8) Fife Flyers (in order of League Champions, best Conference Champions, second best Conference Champions, final League Championship positions respectively).[5]

Quarter-Finals

TEAM 1 TEAM 2 1ST LEG 2ND LEG AGGREGATE
Nottingham PanthersFife Flyers2–43–0(5–4)
Belfast GiantsEdinburgh Capitals3–14–3(7–4)
Braehead ClanCardiff Devils7–52–7(9–12)
Sheffield SteelersCoventry Blaze3–22–4(5–6)

Nottingham Panthers vs Fife Flyers

Nottingham Panthers win 5–4 on aggregate.

Belfast Giants vs Edinburgh Capitals

Belfast Giants win 7–4 on aggregate.

Braehead Clan vs Cardiff Devils

Cardiff Devils win 12–9 on aggregate.

Sheffield Steelers vs Coventry Blaze

Coventry Blaze win 6–5 on aggregate.

Semi-Finals

TEAM 1 TEAM 2 VENUE SINGLE LEG
Nottingham PanthersCardiff DevilsNational Ice Centre6–3
Belfast GiantsCoventry BlazeNational Ice Centre5–1

Nottingham Panthers vs Cardiff Devils

Belfast Giants vs Coventry Blaze

3rd Place Play-Off

TEAM 1 TEAM 2 VENUE SINGLE LEG
Coventry BlazeCardiff DevilsNational Ice Centre11–5

Coventry Blaze vs Cardiff Devils

Final

TEAM 1 TEAM 2 VENUE SINGLE LEG
Nottingham PanthersBelfast GiantsNational Ice Centre3–2

Nottingham Panthers vs Belfast Giants

Challenge Cup

The First Round comprised two groups of five teams, each team playing teams in their own group twice (once home and once away), totalling eight games.

In the First Round group games, teams were awarded two points for a win (in regulation time, overtime or shoot-out), one point for a tie (in regulation time but loss in overtime or shoot-out) and no points for a loss (in regulation time). Teams level on points were separated by (1) total number of games won in regulation time, (2) total number of all games won, (3) results between teams or (4) fewest losses.[6]

The top four teams from each First Round group qualified for the Quarter-Finals. The Quarter-Final ties were decided by final group positions (A1-B4, B1-A4, A2-B3, B2-A3). The Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final were all played over two legs, home and away.

Due to scheduling constraints, some League Championship games doubled up as Challenge Cup games.

First round

Group A

Results (All Group Game results by date)

HOME ▼ / AWAY ► BG BC DS EC FF
Belfast Giants3–22–19–15–1
Braehead Clan3–25–26–34–3
Dundee Stars2–52–13–21–0
Edinburgh Capitals1–44–33–52–4
Fife Flyers1–35–15–22–0
HOME ▲ / AWAY ►BGBCDSECFF

Result Colours: Black = regulation time result; Green = overtime result; Red = shoot-out result.

Standings

PS TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA WROS LROS L4 STK
1Belfast Giants87101433127–0–01–0–04–0–0W7
2Braehead Clan8431925244–0–03–1–03–1–0W3
3Fife Flyers8440821184–0–04–0–00–4–0L4
4Dundee Stars8440818234–0–04–0–02–2–0L1
5Edinburgh Capitals8170216360–1–07–0–00–4–0L6

Group B

Results (All Group Game results by date)

HOME ▼ / AWAY ► CD CB HS NP SS
Cardiff Devils2–33–46–57–6
Coventry Blaze2–16–53–11–2
Hull Stingrays7–54–22–43–6
Nottingham Panthers4–24–36–03–2
Sheffield Steelers4–37–24–24–3
HOME ▲ / AWAY ►CDCBHSNPSS

Result Colours: Black = regulation time result; Green = overtime result; Red = shoot-out result.

Standings

PS TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA WROS LROS L4 STK
1Sheffield Steelers86111335244–1–11–0–12–1–1W1
2Nottingham Panthers85121230225–0–01–2–02–1–1W2
3Coventry Blaze8440822263–0–14–0–00–4–0L4
4Hull Stingrays8341727363–0–04–0–12–2–0W2
5Cardiff Devils8251529350–1–15–0–11–3–0W1

Quarter-Finals

TEAM 1 TEAM 2 1ST LEG 2ND LEG AGGREGATE
Belfast GiantsHull Stingrays3–15–4(8–5)
Sheffield SteelersDundee Stars2–47–0(9–4)
Braehead ClanCoventry Blaze2–24–3(6–5)
Nottingham PanthersFife Flyers3–25–2(8–4)

Belfast Giants vs Hull Stingrays

Belfast Giants win 8–5 on aggregate.

Sheffield Steelers vs Dundee Stars

Sheffield Steelers win 9–4 on aggregate.

Braehead Clan vs Coventry Blaze

Braehead Clan win 6–5 on aggregate.

Nottingham Panthers vs Fife Flyers

Nottingham Panthers win 8–4 on aggregate.

Semi-Finals

TEAM 1 TEAM 2 1ST LEG 2ND LEG AGGREGATE
Belfast GiantsNottingham Panthers1–53–4(4–9)
Sheffield SteelersBraehead Clan4–24–2(8–4)

Belfast Giants vs Nottingham Panthers

Nottingham Panthers win 9–4 on aggregate.

Sheffield Steelers vs Braehead Clan

Sheffield Steelers win 8–4 on aggregate.

Final

TEAM 1 TEAM 2 1ST LEG 2ND LEG AGGREGATE
Sheffield SteelersNottingham Panthers1–42–1(3–5)

Sheffield Steelers vs Nottingham Panthers

Nottingham Panthers win 5–3 on aggregate.

Player statistics

Regular season

Points
PLAYER TEAM PLAYED GOALS ASSISTS POINTS
David LingNottingham Panthers57356095
Sami RyhänenDundee Stars56296594
Ash GoldieBraehead Clan56344680
Bobby Chaumont¹Fife Flyers55305080
Mike WirllDundee Stars57354378
Chris BlightCardiff Devils59215475
Jeff LegueSheffield Steelers60343973
Stuart MacRaeCardiff Devils59274572
René JarolínEdinburgh Capitals56314071
Jereme TendlerHull Stingrays58432770
Bruce GrahamNottingham Panthers56373168
Mac FaulknerCardiff Devils45353065
Casey HainesFife Flyers45244064
Kris HoggFife Flyers55293261
Noah ClarkeBelfast Giants54214061
Jason SilverthornHull Stingrays57214061
Richard HartmannEdinburgh Capitals53233760
Matt FrancisNottingham Panthers57223759
Jason PittonFife Flyers50243458
Shawn LimprightSheffield Steelers58213758
¹Season statistics (club statistics: Braehead Clan 18–9–7–16, Fife Flyers 37–21–43–64).
Goaltenders
PLAYER TEAM PLD W L T GA SO SV% GAA
Craig KowalskiNottingham Panthers54421111087.9182.07
Stephen MurphyBelfast Giants4026113963.9142.42
John DeCaroSheffield Steelers55361441363.9112.47
Phil OsaerCardiff Devils40191641121.9092.81
Bryan PittonFife Flyers52242611472.9072.89
Peter HirschCoventry Blaze59282821842.9143.15
Tomáš HiadlovskýEdinburgh Capitals51222901660.9013.27
Nic RiopelDundee Stars56232931843.9153.33
Ben BownsHull Stingrays54182881801.9053.35
Garrett Zemlak¹Belfast Giants45241901484.8963.38
¹Season statistics (club statistics: Braehead Clan 30-12-17-0-116-0-.883–3.95, Belfast Giants 15-12-2-0-32-4-.926-2.22)

Play-Offs

Points
PLAYER TEAM PLAYED GOALS ASSISTS POINTS
Chris BlightCardiff Devils47815
Shea GuthrieCoventry Blaze46410
Stuart MacRaeCardiff Devils401010
Max BirbraerCardiff Devils4437
Dustin CameronCoventry Blaze4347
Adam HenrichCoventry Blaze4347
Craig PeacockBelfast Giants4347
Bruce GrahamNottingham Panthers4336
Kevin SauretteBelfast Giants4336
David LingNottingham Panthers4246
Ash GoldieBraehead Clan2415
Mark RichardsonCardiff Devils4235
Gerad AdamsCardiff Devils4145
Eric WernerNottingham Panthers4145
David ClarkeNottingham Panthers4055
Jesse GimblettCardiff Devils4314
Noah ClarkeBelfast Giants4224
Colin ShieldsBelfast Giants4224
Toms HartmanisBraehead Clan2044
Jordan KrestanovichBraehead Clan2044
Goaltenders
PLAYER TEAM PLD W L T GA SO SV% GAA
Stephen MurphyBelfast Giants431080.9241.94
Bryan PittonFife Flyers211050.9352.52
Peter HirschCoventry Blaze4120130.9113.86
Chris WhitleyCardiff Devils4120190.8265.73
Daren MachesneyBraehead Clan2110120.8546.00

Season Awards

Individual awards

AWARD WINNER TEAM
Player of the Year David LingNottingham Panthers
Coach of the Year Corey NeilsonNottingham Panthers
Fans Player of the Year David LingNottingham Panthers
British Player of the Year David ClarkeNottingham Panthers
Netminder of the Year Craig KowalskiNottingham Panthers
Defenceman of the Year Mike SchutteCoventry Blaze
Forward of the Year David LingNottingham Panthers
Top Goalscorer Jereme TendlerHull Stingrays
Top Points Scorer David LingNottingham Panthers

All-Star Teams

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
PLAYER TEAM PLAYER TEAM
Craig KowalskiNottingham Panthers Nic RiopelDundee Stars
Mike SchutteCoventry Blaze Derek KellerFife Flyers
Robby SandrockBelfast Giants Eric WernerNottingham Panthers
Mac FaulknerCardiff Devils Ash GoldieBraehead Clan
David LingNottingham Panthers Bruce GrahamNottingham Panthers
Jereme TendlerHull Stingrays Sami RyhänenDundee Stars

References

  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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