The 2021/22 edition of the NIHL National League involved 9 teams from across the United Kingdom.
Season overview The NIHL National hosted 4 tournaments across the season:
National Autumn Cup National Cup National League National Playoffs +CompetitionChampionsRunners-upNational Autumn CupSwindon WildcatsLeeds KnightsNational CupSheffield SteeldogsTelford TigersNational LeagueTelford TigersSwindon WildcatsNational PlayoffsSheffield SteeldogsMilton Keynes Lightning
National Autumn Cup
The National Autumn Cup was hosted between 17 September and 23 November 2021, each team playing each other once in the group stage (either home or away) totalling 8 matches.
Group stage The group stage took place between 17 September and 10 October 2021. Teams receive 2 points for a win and 1 point for an overtime loss. In the event that two or more teams were tied on points, goal difference was used to determine the rankings. +Group Stage TablePosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAPtsQualification1Sheffield Steeldogs86011412013Advance to the semi-finals2Leeds Knights860024525123Telford Tigers850033130104Swindon Wildcats84013292895Peterborough Phantoms83104273486Basingstoke Bison83014272877Bees IHC83005263668Milton Keynes Lightning81205233669Raiders IHC8111528405
Knockouts The knockouts took place between 11 November and 23 December 2021. Since Sheffield Steeldogs placed 1st in the group stage, they got to select their semi-final opponent and chose Leeds Knights Matches were played over two legs, one home and one away with the aggregate score (shown in bold) the decider of who advances. If it was level after the 120 minutes of play, 5 minutes of overtime was played and if still not tied it went to a shootout.
Final rankings +PosTeam1Swindon WildcatsChampions2Leeds KnightsRunners-up=3Sheffield Steeldogs=3Telford Tigers5Peterborough Phantoms6Basingstoke Bison7Bees IHC8Milton Keynes Lightning9Raiders IHC
Leaders +PointsPosPlayerTeamPoints1Jason HewittSheffield Steeldogs262Kerian BrownLeeds Knights24=3Matt BissonnetteSheffield Steeldogs22=3Brandon WhistleLeeds Knights225Aaron NellSwindon Wildcats19 +GoalsPosPlayerTeamGoals1Jason HewittSheffield Steeldogs142Kerian BrownLeeds Knights133Brandon WhistleLeeds Knights114Emil SvecSwindon Wildcats10=5Aaron ConnollyRaiders IHC9 +AssistsPosPlayerTeamPoints1Matt BissonnetteSheffield Steeldogs162Jason HewittSheffield Steeldogs123Thomasz MalasinskiSwindon Wildcats12=4Cole ShudraLeeds Knights11=4Kieran BrownLeeds Knights11
National Cup
The National Cup was hosted between 16 October 2021 and 2 January 2022. These matches were the same matches that counted towards the National League, the first time each team player each other home and away.
Group stage The group stage took place between 16 October 2021 and 2 January 2022. Teams receive 2 points for a win and 1 point for an overtime loss. In the event that two or more teams were tied on points, goal difference was used to determine the rankings. +Group Stage TablePosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAPtsQualification1Swindon Wildcats169331674127Advance to the semi-finals2Telford Tigers16101147051233Sheffield Steeldogs16100065447204Milton Keynes Lightning16100066163205Leeds Knights1661025767146Peterborough Phantoms1660195557137Bees IHC1660195358138Raiders IHC16411104665119Basingstoke Bison1641011587210
Knockouts Since Swindon Wildcats placed 1st in the Group Stage, they got to select their semi-final opponent and chose Sheffield Steeldogs Matches were played over two legs, one home and one away with the aggregate score (shown in bold) the decider of who advances. If it was level after the 120 minutes of play, 5 minutes of overtime was played and if still tied it went to a shootout.
Final rankings +PosTeam1Sheffield SteeldogsChampions2Telford TigersRunners-up=3Swindon Wildcats=3Milton Keynes Lightning5Leeds Knights6Peterborough Phantoms7Bees IHC9Raiders IHC6Basingstoke Bison
National League
The National League makes the majority of the games within the season, with each time playing each other a total of 6 times, 3 home and 3 away. The top 8 teams also qualify for the National Playoffs, with the 9th team missing out +TablePosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAPtsQualificationCTelford Tigers (Q)4829441120815070National League Playoffs2Swindon Wildcats (Q)48234615179170603Sheffield Steeldogs (Q)48252318164151534Leeds Knights (Q)48234219186172565Milton Keynes Lightning (Q)48232419197195546Peterborough Phantoms (Q)48223221173160527Basingstoke Bison (Q)48174324177190458Bees IHC (Q)48141330161200339Raiders IHC4612413113519230* *Raiders IHC were deducted 3 points for failure to fulfill a fixture on 19 December 2021
(Q) Qualified for the National League Playoffs
National League playoffs
Group stage The 8 teams that make it to the playoffs are split into two groups, Group A and B based on their placing in the National League. Each team plays each other twice, one at home and once away. The top 2 from each group proceed to the Final 4 weekend. +Group APosTeamPldWOTLLGFGAPtsQualification1Telford Tigers6501301910Advance to Final 42Milton Keynes Lightning6411231593Bees IHC631221297Eliminated4Leeds Knights601520261 +Group BPosTeamPldWOTLLGFGAPtsQualification1Peterborough Phantoms640223148Advance to Final 42Sheffield Steeldogs6303201963Basingstoke Bison 630318196Eliminated4Swindon Wildcats620416254
Knockouts Semifinals Telford Tigers 1–3 Sheffield Steeldogs Peterborough Phantoms 5–6 Milton Keynes Lightning Final Sheffield Steeldogs 4–1 Milton Keynes Lightning
References
External links