# 2009–10 EIHL season

The 2009–10 EIHL season is the seventh season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. It began in September 2009 and concluded in April 2010.

## League business

On 25 March 2009, Basingstoke Bison announced their decision to depart from the Elite Ice Hockey League to join the second tier English Premier League, citing considerable financial losses as their reason for withdrawing. In the build up to the 2008–09 season finale, rumours circulated over the possible exclusion from the league of the Edinburgh Capitals, Manchester Phoenix and Newcastle Vipers, and the EIHL operating with six teams. Although it was initially stated that the league would continue with nine teams, it was announced on 1 May 2009 that Manchester Phoenix would also play in the English Premier League.
The resulting change in the format will see teams play a 56-game schedule, facing each of their opponents 8 times (4 home, 4 away) during the course of the regular season.

## Teams

| Team | Arena(s) |
| Belfast Giants | Odyssey Arena |
| Cardiff Devils | Cardiff Arena |
| Coventry Blaze | SkyDome Arena |
| Edinburgh Capitals | Murrayfield Ice Rink |
| Hull Stingrays | Hull Arena |
| Newcastle Vipers | Whitley Bay Ice Rink |
| Nottingham Panthers | National Ice Centre |
| Sheffield Steelers | Motorpoint Arena/IceSheffield |

## Elite League Table

Team positions determine seeding for Play Offs
| Regular season standings | GP | W | OTW | OTL | L | Pts |
| Coventry Blaze | 56 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 76 |
| Belfast Giants | 56 | 32 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 75 |
| Nottingham Panthers | 56 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 70 |
| Cardiff Devils | 56 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 65 |
| Sheffield Steelers | 56 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 26 | 54 |
| Edinburgh Capitals | 56 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 52 |
| Newcastle Vipers | 56 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 31 | 46 |
| Hull Stingrays | 56 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 32 | 43 |
GP=Games Played W=Win, OTW=Over Time Wins, OTW=Over Time Loses, L=Loses, Pts=Points,

## Elite League playoffs

After two legged quarter finals the end of season playoffs were held at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham from 3 to 4 April. The final was contested between the Cardiff Devils and the Belfast Giants. The match was 2-2 after all three periods and stayed 2-2 after 10 minutes of sudden death overtime. The match then went to a shootout which the Belfast Giants won in the sudden death stage of the shootout 1–0.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Coventry Blaze | 6 (2,4) | | | | | | |
| 8 | Hull Stingrays | 2 (1,1) | | | | | | |
| 8 | Hull Stingrays | 2 (1,1) | Coventry Blaze | Coventry Blaze | 3 | | | |
| | | | Cardiff Devils | Cardiff Devils | 6 | | | |
| 4 | Cardiff Devils | 9 (4,5) | Cardiff Devils | Cardiff Devils | 6 | | | |
| 5 | Sheffield Steelers | 5 (2,3) | | | | | | |
| 5 | Sheffield Steelers | 5 (2,3) | | | | Cardiff Devils | Cardiff Devils | 2 |
| | | | | | | Belfast Giants | Belfast Giants | 2 (1-0 pens) |
| 3 | Nottingham Panthers | 9 (5,4) | | | | | | | Belfast Giants | Belfast Giants | 2 (1-0 pens) |
| 6 | Edinburgh Capitals | 4 (0,4) | | | | | | |
| 6 | Edinburgh Capitals | 4 (0,4) | Nottingham Panthers | Nottingham Panthers | 1 | | | |
| | | | Belfast Giants | Belfast Giants | 1 (3-2 pens) | | | |
| 2 | Belfast Giants | 10 (4,6) | Belfast Giants | Belfast Giants | 1 (3-2 pens) | | | |
| 7 | Newcastle Vipers | 3 (1,2) | | | | | | |

## 20/20 Hockey Fest

The 2009-10 Elite League Ice hockey season begun with a one-day competition at Sheffield Steelers, Sheffield Arena. The tournament was called the 20/20 Hockey fest and was designed to make British Ice hockey more exciting. It contested of 2 periods of 20-minute non-stop clock. The tournament winners were the hosts the Sheffield Steelers.
Quarter-finals
Sheffield Steelers 5-1 Hull Stingrays Belfast Giants 2-3 Cardiff Devils (After Penalty Shoot out) Edinburgh Capitals 0-1 Newcastle Vipers Coventry Blaze 6-0 Nottingham Panthers
Semi-finals
Sheffield Steelers 4-1 Cardiff Devils Newcastle Vipers 2-3 Coventry Blaze
Final
Sheffield Steelers 3-2 Coventry Blaze