Inter-National League

Last updated

Inter-National League
Sport Ice hockey
Founded2012
Ceased2016
Country
  • Austria
  • Italy
  • Slovenia
Last
champion(s)		 Bregenzerwald (2015–16)
Most titlesBregenzerwald (2 titles)

The Inter-National League was an international ice hockey league that was a partnership between the national federations of Austria and Slovenia. It was created as a solution to semi-professional hockey in both Austria and neighboring Slovenia. In 2016, the league merged with Serie A to form the Alps Hockey League.

Contents

History

The Inter-National League was founded on July 14, 2012 with seven teams joining the inaugural season. In Austria, seven out of eleven teams from the previous season's second tier, the Austrian National League, had left the league. Two teams, Dornbirner EC and TWK Innsbruck, were accepted into the Austrian Hockey League. The remaining teams either folded or chose to play in lower local leagues.

Acroni Jesenice was confirmed to become an inaugural member. However, due to financial problems the team informed the league that they would be folding effective August 31, 2012 (two weeks before the start of the season.) [1]

On June 8, 2013, the league's 2013–14 season was decided and it saw the league jump from six teams to 15. After the late fold of Acroni Jesenice, Team Jesenice participated in the league this season as one of four new Slovenian clubs. The other three Slovenian newcomers were Bled, Maribor and Celje. The league also welcomed Italian sides SV Caldaro/Kaltern, Eppan Pirates, Merano Junior, Neumarkt-Egna Wildgoose and Gherdëina.

For the 2014–15 season, Maribor and the five Italian teams left the league, whereas Kitzbühel and Steelers Kapfenberg joined the competition. In addition, the teams were allowed four imports (two U-22, and two with no age limit). These imports could not have been exchanged between teams in the league. [2]

Scheduling

The inaugural INL season started on September 15, 2012, while the last game in the regular season took place on March 2, 2013. The INL playoffs semi-finals and finals were all played in best-of-five format. [3]

The scheduling for the INL was designed to keep the travel costs at a minimum. Each team played a total of 36 games in a set of six rounds (three home games, three away against all six opponents.) The league featured a "double weekend", where opponents were played on back-to-back games during the weekend. [2]

Scoring

INL games were scored with the "three-point rule": three points for the winner after regular time, two points if teams win after overtime or shootout, and one for the loser after regular time. [2]

Trades and transfers

Transfers were permitted during the season, but only if both teams reached an agreement. [2]

Teams

TeamCityArenaFounded
Former teams
Bled Flag of Slovenia.svg Bled Bled Ice Hall1999
Bregenzerwald Flag of Austria.svg Bregenz Forest Alberschwerde1985
Celje Flag of Slovenia.svg Celje Golovec Ice Hall1998
Eppan Pirates Flag of Italy.svg Eppan Eisstadion Eppan1981
Feldkirch Flag of Austria.svg Feldkirch Vorarlberghalle 1945
Gherdëina Flag of Italy.svg Sëlva Pranives Ice Stadium1927
Jesenice Flag of Slovenia.svg Jesenice Podmežakla Hall 2014
Kaltern Flag of Italy.svg Kaltern Palaghiaccio Kaltern1962
Kitzbühel Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel Sportpark Kapserbrucke1910
KSV Eishockey Flag of Austria.svg Kapfenberg Sportzentrum Kapfenberg2015
Lustenau Flag of Austria.svg Lustenau Rheinhalle Lustenau1970
Maribor Flag of Slovenia.svg Maribor Tabor Ice Hall1993
Merano Flag of Italy.svg Merano Meranarena2001
Neumarkt-Egna Flag of Italy.svg Neumarkt Würth Arena1963
Slavija Flag of Slovenia.svg Ljubljana Zalog Ice Hall1964
Steelers Kapfenberg Flag of Austria.svg Kapfenberg Sportzentrum Kapfenberg2014
Team Jesenice Flag of Slovenia.svg Jesenice Podmežakla Hall 2013
Triglav Kranj Flag of Slovenia.svg Kranj Zlato Polje Ice Hall1968
Zell am See Flag of Austria.svg Zell am See Eishalle Zell am See1928

Inter-National League seasons

SeasonChampionsRunners-up
2012–13 Bregenzerwald Slavija
2013–14 Neumarkt-Egna Bregenzerwald
2014–15 Lustenau Feldkirch
2015–16 Bregenzerwald Lustenau

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References

  1. ↑ Tuniz, Davide (August 31, 2012). "Acroni Jesenice withdraws from Inter-National League". Eurohockey.com. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Tuniz, Davide (June 8, 2013). "The new INL comes". Eurohockey.com. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  3. ↑ Tuniz, Davide (July 16, 2012). "New Inter National League to replace Austrian Nationalliga and Slohokej". Eurohockey.com. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
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