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.
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). 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 won 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.
Team information
Belfast Giants Erhardt Belfast Odyssey Arena 8,300 Braehead Clan Gardiner Renfrew Braehead Arena 3,750 Cardiff Devils Erhardt Cardiff Cardiff Arena 2,500 Coventry Blaze Erhardt Coventry SkyDome Arena 3,000 Dundee Stars Gardiner Dundee Dundee Ice Arena 2,400 Edinburgh Capitals Gardiner Edinburgh Murrayfield Ice Rink 3,800 Fife Flyers Gardiner Kirkcaldy Fife Ice Arena 2,414 Hull Stingrays Gardiner Hull Hull Arena 3,150 Nottingham Panthers Erhardt Nottingham National Ice Centre 6,900 Sheffield Steelers Erhardt Sheffield Motorpoint Arena 8,500
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.
The top eight teams in the League Championship qualified for the Play-Offs.
Results
Braehead Clan 2–7 Dundee Stars 3–2 1–9 Edinburgh Capitals Fife Flyers 4–3 4–2 Hull Stingrays Belfast Giants 4–3 8–2 Cardiff Devils 0–44–3 Coventry Blaze 5–1 4–3 5–42–4 3–4 5–2 3–4 Nottingham Panthers 6–0 4–5 Sheffield Steelers 7–2 7–5
Grid Colours: Blue = league & conference games; Pink = league games.
Result Colours: Black = regulation time result; Green = overtime result; Red = shoot-out result.
League Standings
1 Nottingham Panthers 52 42 9 1 85 232 111 35–1–6 9–0–1 9–1–0 W2 2 Belfast Giants 52 37 10 5 79 191 132 33–1–3 10–2–3 8–2–0 W3 3 Sheffield Steelers 52 35 14 3 73 184 133 28–5–2 14–0–3 5–4–1 L1 4 Coventry Blaze 52 24 22 6 54 156 181 18–3–3 22–4–2 5–5–0 L3 5 Cardiff Devils 52 21 23 8 50 160 168 16–4–1 23–2–6 1–8–1 L1 6 Edinburgh Capitals 52 22 26 4 48 149 184 18–1–3 26–3–1 6–4–0 W2 7 Fife Flyers 52 23 27 2 48 154 176 17–2–4 27–1–1 5–5–0 W3 8 Braehead Clan 52 20 26 6 46 163 200 16–0–4 26–6–0 3–5–2 L1 9 Dundee Stars 52 19 27 6 44 138 194 14–3–2 27–2–4 3–7–0 L3 10 Hull Stingrays 52 17 26 9 43 137 185 15–2–0 26–2–7 5–5–0 W1
Conference standings
Gardiner Conference
1 Braehead Clan 32 17 12 3 37 109 102 14–0–3 12–3–0 4–5–1 L1 2 Fife Flyers 32 17 13 2 36 108 95 13–2–2 13–1–1 5–5–0 W3 3 Dundee Stars 32 17 14 1 35 102 111 12–3–2 14–0–1 3–7–0 L3 4 Hull Stingrays 32 14 11 7 35 97 111 12–2–0 11–1–6 6–3–1 L1 5 Edinburgh Capitals 32 15 14 3 33 109 106 13–0–2 14–2–1 6–3–1 W2
Erhardt Conference
1 Belfast Giants 32 21 6 5 47 116 89 18–0–3 6–2–3 8–2–0 W3 2 Nottingham Panthers 32 23 8 1 47 119 81 17–0–6 8–0–1 8–2–0 W2 3 Sheffield Steelers 32 18 12 2 38 104 89 14–2–2 12–0–2 6–4–0 L1 4 Coventry Blaze 32 9 18 5 23 87 134 7–2–0 18–4–1 3–6–1 L2 5 Cardiff Devils 32 9 18 5 23 83 116 6–3–0 18–1–4 0–9–1 L1
Team Records
Belfast Giants 52 37 10 5 79 191 132 33–1–3 10–2–3 8–2–0 W3 W7 L2 TL2 26 19 6 1 39 101 66 16–1–2 6–0–1 7–3–0 W1 W4 L2 TL2 26 18 4 4 40 90 66 17–0–1 4–2–2 9–1–0 W2 W8 L1 TL2 32 21 6 5 47 116 89 18–0–3 6–2–3 8–2–0 W3 W5 L2 TL2 16 11 4 1 23 59 41 9–0–2 4–0–1 7–3–0 W1 W4 L1 TL1 16 10 2 4 24 57 48 9–0–1 2–2–2 8–1–1 W7 W7 L1 TL2 20 16 4 0 32 75 43 15–1–0 4–0–0 7–3–0 L1 W7 L1 TL1 10 8 2 0 16 42 25 7–1–0 2–0–0 8–2–0 W2 W5 L1 TL1 10 8 2 0 16 33 18 8–0–0 2–0–0 8–2–0 L1 W4 L1 TL1
Braehead Clan 52 20 26 6 46 163 200 16–0–4 26–6–0 3–5–2 L1 W3 L4 TL7 26 12 10 4 28 89 93 11–0–1 10–4–0 4–4–2 W3 W3 L3 TL5 26 8 16 2 18 74 107 5–0–3 16–2–0 3–7–0 L6 W3 L6 TL6 32 17 12 3 37 109 102 14–0–3 12–3–0 4–5–1 L1 W5 L3 TL3 16 11 2 3 25 62 42 10–0–1 2–3–0 5–2–3 W3 W6 L1 TL3 16 6 10 0 12 47 60 4–0–2 10–0–0 4–6–0 L4 W3 L4 TL4 20 3 14 3 9 54 98 2–0–1 14–3–0 1–7–2 L2 W1 L4 TL7 10 1 8 1 3 27 51 1–0–0 8–1–0 1–8–1 L2 W1 L4 TL7 10 2 6 2 6 27 47 1–0–1 6–2–0 2–6–2 L2 W1 L2 TL6
Cardiff Devils 52 21 23 8 50 160 168 16–4–1 23–2–6 1–8–1 L1 W3 L6 TL6 26 12 9 5 29 75 74 8–3–1 9–1–4 2–6–2 L4 W7 L4 TL4 26 9 14 3 21 85 94 8–1–0 14–1–2 1–7–2 T1 W2 L4 TL7 32 9 18 5 23 83 116 6–3–0 18–1–4 0–9–1 L1 W2 L8 TL11 16 5 8 3 13 41 54 3–2–0 8–0–3 1–7–2 L5 W4 L5 TL6 16 4 10 2 10 42 62 3–1–0 10–1–1 2–7–1 T1 W1 L6 TL7 20 12 5 3 27 77 52 10–1–1 5–1–2 5–3–2 W2 W3 L2 TL3 10 7 1 2 16 34 20 5–1–1 1–1–1 7–1–2 W1 W5 L1 TL1 10 5 4 1 11 43 32 5–0–0 4–0–1 5–4–1 W1 W1 L1 TL2
Coventry Blaze 52 24 22 6 54 156 181 18–3–3 22–4–2 5–5–0 L3 W3 L3 TL5 26 15 9 2 32 83 85 12–2–1 9–2–0 5–5–0 L2 W6 L2 TL2 26 9 13 4 22 73 96 6–1–2 13–2–2 4–5–1 L1 W2 L2 TL6 32 9 18 5 23 87 134 7–2–0 18–4–1 3–6–1 L2 W2 L4 TL8 16 5 9 2 12 43 70 3–2–0 9–2–0 3–7–0 L2 W1 L3 TL3 16 4 9 3 11 44 64 4–0–0 9–2–1 3–4–3 W1 W1 L4 TL6 20 15 4 1 31 69 47 11–1–3 4–0–1 7–3–0 L1 W10 L2 TL2 10 10 0 0 20 40 15 9–0–1 0-0-0 10–0–0 W10 W10 – – 10 5 4 1 11 29 32 2–1–2 4–0–1 5–4–1 L3 W3 L3 TL3
Dundee Stars 52 19 27 6 44 138 194 14–3–2 27–2–4 3–7–0 L3 W5 L4 TL7 26 14 8 4 32 80 82 10–2–2 8–1–3 5–5–0 L1 W4 L3 TL4 26 5 19 2 12 58 112 4–1–0 19–1–1 0–9–1 L5 W3 L5 TL10 32 17 14 1 35 102 111 12–3–2 14–0–1 3–7–0 L3 W4 L3 TL3 16 13 2 1 27 62 41 9–2–2 2–0–1 7–2–1 L1 W6 L1 TL1 16 4 12 0 8 40 70 3–1–0 12–0–0 2–8–0 L8 W2 L8 TL8 20 2 13 5 9 36 83 2–0–0 13–2–3 2–7–1 L4 W2 L4 TL13 10 1 6 3 5 18 41 1–0–0 6–1–2 1–6–3 L3 W1 L3 TL6 10 1 7 2 4 18 42 1–0–0 7–1–1 1–7–2 L1 W1 L3 TL7
Edinburgh Capitals 52 22 26 4 48 149 184 18–1–3 26–3–1 6–4–0 W2 W4 L6 TL6 26 14 10 2 30 97 81 13–0–1 10–2–0 7–2–1 W1 W4 L2 TL3 26 8 16 2 18 52 103 5–1–2 16–1–1 5–4–1 W1 W2 L8 TL11 32 15 14 3 33 109 106 13–0–2 14–2–1 6–3–1 W2 W4 L3 TL3 16 11 4 1 23 75 47 10–0–1 4–1–0 7–2–1 W1 W4 L1 TL2 16 4 10 2 10 34 59 3–0–1 10–1–1 4–5–1 W1 W1 L6 TL8 20 7 12 1 15 40 78 5–1–1 12–1–0 5–4–1 W1 W2 L4 TL4 10 3 6 1 7 22 34 3–0–0 6–1–0 3–6–1 W1 W1 L3 TL4 10 4 6 0 8 18 44 2–1–1 6–0–0 4–6–0 W1 W3 L4 TL4
Fife Flyers 52 23 27 2 48 154 176 17–2–4 27–1–1 5–5–0 W3 W3 L5 TL5 26 19 6 1 39 95 65 16–0–3 6–0–1 9–1–0 W2 W7 L2 TL3 26 4 21 1 9 59 111 1–2–1 21–1–0 1–8–1 W1 W3 L11 TL11 32 17 13 2 36 108 95 13–2–2 13–1–1 5–5–0 W3 W3 L3 TL3 16 13 2 1 27 63 28 12–0–1 2–0–1 8–1–1 W7 W7 L1 TL2 16 4 11 1 9 45 67 1–2–1 11–1–0 3–6–1 W1 W3 L6 TL7 20 6 14 0 12 46 81 4–0–2 14–0–0 3–7–0 L1 W1 L4 TL4 10 6 4 0 12 32 37 4–0–2 4–0–0 6–4–0 L1 W2 L1 TL1 10 0 10 0 0 14 44 0-0-0 10–0–0 0–10–0 L10 – L10 TL10
Hull Stingrays 52 17 26 9 43 137 185 15–2–0 26–2–7 5–5–0 W1 W4 L6 TL7 26 14 10 2 30 77 79 13–1–0 10–0–2 7–3–0 W1 W5 L3 TL3 26 3 16 7 13 60 106 2–1–0 16–2–5 1–8–1 L2 W1 L3 TL9 32 14 11 7 35 97 111 12–2–0 11–1–6 6–3–1 L1 W4 L3 TL4 16 12 2 2 26 59 46 11–1–0 2–0–2 8–1–1 W6 W6 L1 TL2 16 2 9 5 9 38 65 1–1–0 9–1–4 1–7–2 L1 W1 L2 TL9 20 3 15 2 8 40 74 3–0–0 15–1–1 2–7–1 W1 W1 L7 TL9 10 2 8 0 4 18 33 2–0–0 8–0–0 2–8–0 W1 W1 L6 TL6 10 1 7 2 4 22 41 1–0–0 7–1–1 1–7–2 L3 W1 L3 TL5
Nottingham Panthers 52 42 9 1 85 232 111 35–1–6 9–0–1 9–1–0 W2 W10 L1 TL1 26 22 4 0 44 123 53 18–1–3 4–0–0 9–1–0 W6 W8 L1 TL1 26 20 5 1 41 109 58 17–0–3 5–0–1 8–2–0 W1 W6 L1 TL2 32 23 8 1 47 119 81 17–0–6 8–0–1 8–2–0 W2 W7 L2 TL3 16 13 3 0 26 61 34 10–0–3 3–0–0 9–1–0 W4 W8 L1 TL1 16 10 5 1 21 58 47 7–0–3 5–0–1 7–3–0 W1 W4 L2 TL3 20 19 1 0 38 113 30 18–1–0 1–0–0 10–0–0 W10 W10 L1 TL1 10 9 1 0 18 62 19 8–1–0 1–0–0 9–1–0 W4 W5 L1 TL1 10 10 0 0 20 51 11 10–0–0 0-0-0 10–0–0 W10 W10 – –
Sheffield Steelers 52 35 14 3 73 184 133 28–5–2 14–0–3 5–4–1 L1 W7 L2 TL3 26 17 7 2 36 97 69 14–2–1 7–0–2 7–2–1 L1 W4 L2 TL2 26 18 7 1 37 87 64 14–3–1 7–0–1 7–3–0 W2 W6 L2 TL2 32 18 12 2 38 104 89 14–2–2 12–0–2 6–4–0 L1 W5 L3 TL4 16 9 6 1 19 57 49 7–1–1 6–0–1 6–4–0 L1 W3 L2 TL2 16 9 6 1 19 47 40 7–1–1 6–0–1 4–5–1 W2 W3 L3 TL3 20 17 2 1 35 80 44 14–3–0 2–0–1 9–0–1 W1 W10 L1 TL1 10 8 1 1 17 40 20 7–1–0 1–0–1 8–1–1 W1 W4 L1 TL1 10 9 1 0 18 40 24 7–2–0 1–0–0 9–1–0 W9 W9 L1 TL1
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).
Quarter-finals
Nottingham Panthers Fife Flyers Belfast Giants Edinburgh Capitals Braehead Clan Cardiff Devils Sheffield Steelers Coventry Blaze
Semi-finals
Nottingham Panthers Cardiff Devils National Ice Centre 6–3 Belfast Giants Coventry Blaze National Ice Centre 5–1
3rd Place Play-Off
Coventry Blaze Cardiff Devils National Ice Centre 11–5
Final
Nottingham Panthers Belfast Giants National Ice Centre 3–2
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.