abstract
| - The Elite Ice Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey Superleague, it is the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom. The league currently consists of ten teams, with representation from all four Home Nations - the only league in any sport to do so. In seven completed seasons, the league has been won by three different teams. As of the 2012-13 Season the league will feature a northern conference (Gardiner Conference, named for Scottish-born former NHL goalie Charlie Gardiner) featureing Braehead (SCO), Dundee (SCO), Edinburgh (SCO), Fife (SCO) and Hull (ENG) and a Southern conference (Erhardt Conference, named for 1936 English Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist Carl Erhardt) featuring Belfast (NIR), Cardiff (WAL), Coventry (ENG), Nottingham (ENG) and Sheffield (ENG). Teams play each team in their conference 4 times at home and 4 times away from home, and each team in the other conference twice at home and twice away. Since 2012, the ten teams are split into two conferences, Gardiner and Erhardt – while previously all 10 teams competed in a single division, similar to most British sports. The top eight teams in the overall league standings qualify for the Elite League playoffs. The Elite League post-season is considerably shorter than playoff tournaments in North America; in the first round teams play a two-leg game (one home, one away) and the semi-finals and final take place over the course of a single weekend at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham.
- The Elite Ice Hockey League (known as the Rapid Solicitors Elite League for sponsorship reasons) is a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey Superleague, it is the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom. Unlike its North American counterparts, the Elite League is not divided into conferences; teams compete in a single division. The league currently consists of ten teams, with representation from all four Home Nations - the only league in any sport to do so. In seven completed seasons, the league has been won by three different teams. The Belfast Giants were crowned the 2011–12 Champions on 17th March after beating runners up Sheffield Steelers.
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