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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Trades and transfers Transfers were permitted during the season, but only if both teams reached an agreement.
Teams Team City Arena Founded Former teams Bled Bled Bled Ice Hall 1999 Bregenzerwald Bregenz Forest Alberschwerde 1985 Celje Celje Golovec Ice Hall 1998 Eppan Pirates Eppan Eisstadion Eppan 1981 Feldkirch Feldkirch Vorarlberghalle 1945 Gherdëina Sëlva Pranives Ice Stadium 1927 Jesenice Jesenice Podmežakla Hall 2014 Kaltern Kaltern Palaghiaccio Kaltern 1962 Kitzbühel Kitzbühel Sportpark Kapserbrucke 1910 KSV Eishockey Kapfenberg Sportzentrum Kapfenberg 2015 Lustenau Lustenau Rheinhalle Lustenau 1970 Maribor Maribor Tabor Ice Hall 1993 Merano Merano Meranarena 2001 Neumarkt-Egna Neumarkt Würth Arena 1963 Slavija Ljubljana Zalog Ice Hall 1964 Steelers Kapfenberg Kapfenberg Sportzentrum Kapfenberg 2014 Team Jesenice Jesenice Podmežakla Hall 2013 Triglav Kranj Kranj Zlato Polje Ice Hall 1968 Zell am See Zell am See Eishalle Zell am See 1928
Inter-National League seasons Season Champions Runners-up 2012–13 Bregenzerwald Slavija 2013–14 Neumarkt-Egna Bregenzerwald 2014–15 Lustenau Feldkirch 2015–16 Bregenzerwald Lustenau
References
External links Inter-National League at eurohockey.com