# 2016–17 SWHL A season

The 2016–17 Swiss League season was the 31st season of the Swiss Women's League A.

## Teams

| Team | Trainer | City | Arena | Capacity |
| Ladies Team Lugano | Marzio Brambilla | Lugano | La Resega | 7,200 |
| HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | Yan Gigon, Thierry Bourquin | Neuchâtel | Patinoire du Littoral | 7,000 |
| SC Reinach Damen | Melanie Häfliger, Peter Küng | Reinach | Kunsteisbahn Oberwynental | - |
| EV Bomo Thun | Steve Huard | Thun | Kunsteisbahn Grabengut | 4,000 |
| SC Weinfelden Ladies | Daniel Zbinden, Otmar Thöni | Weinfelden | Güttingersreuti | 3,100 |
| ZSC Lions Frauen | Christof Amsler, Angela Frautschi | Zürich | Kunsteisbahn Oerlikon | 1,700 |

## Regular season

The regular season started on 9 September 2016 and ended on 12 February 2017. The SWHL A game mode provides a preliminary round (phase 1) with 10 matches per team and a Masterround with 10 additional matches per team. The top 4 teams qualify for the playoffs and the bottom two compete for a play-off against relegation. The loser must face the SWHLB champion.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | ZSC Lions Frauen | 20 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 155 | 31 | +124 | 51 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 2 | Ladies Team Lugano | 20 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 127 | 32 | +95 | 48 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 3 | HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | 20 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 112 | 69 | +43 | 42 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 4 | EV Bomo Thun | 20 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 59 | 70 | −11 | 23 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 5 | SC Weinfelden Ladies | 20 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 47 | 113 | −66 | 15 | |
| 6 | SC Reinach Damen | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 20 | 205 | −185 | 1 | |

### Statistics
#### Scoring leaders

The following shows the top ten players who led the league in points, at the conclusion of the regular season. If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Isabel Waidacher | ZSC Lions Frauen | 19 | 24 | 32 | 56 | 14 |
| Christine Meier | ZSC Lions Frauen | 17 | 29 | 24 | 53 | 6 |
| Nina Waidacher | ZSC Lions Frauen | 18 | 25 | 23 | 48 | 14 |
| Becca Kohler | Ladies Team Lugano | 19 | 31 | 16 | 47 | 14 |
| Stefanie Marty | HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | 18 | 22 | 17 | 39 | 12 |
| Dominique Rüegg | ZSC Lions Frauen | 20 | 19 | 18 | 37 | 24 |
| Evelina Raselli | Ladies Team Lugano | 16 | 17 | 17 | 34 | 8 |
| Breehan Hochuli | HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | 20 | 20 | 13 | 33 | 14 |
| Carly Payerl | Ladies Team Lugano | 19 | 21 | 11 | 32 | 2 |
| Angela Taylor | ZSC Lions Frauen | 17 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 10 |

#### Leading goaltenders

The following shows the top five goaltenders who led the league in goals against average, provided that they have played at least 40% of their team's minutes, at the conclusion of the regular season.
| Player | Team(s) | GP | TOI | GA | GAA |
| Laura De Bastiani | ZSC Lions Frauen | 12 | 321 | 7 | 1,06 |
| Giulia Mazzocchi | Ladies Team Lugano | 9 | 511 | 10 | 1,18 |
| Daria Tognacca | Ladies Team Lugano | 5 | 249 | 7 | 1,65 |
| Jade Dübi | HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | 6 | 360 | 12 | 2,00 |
| Caroline Baldin | ZSC Lions Frauen | 17 | 877 | 20 | 2,11 |

## Playoffs
### Bracket

| Semi-finals (best-of-5) | Semi-finals (best-of-5) | Semi-finals (best-of-5) | Finals (best-of-5) | Finals (best-of-5) | Finals (best-of-5) |
| 1 | ZSC Lions Frauen | 3 | | | |
| 4 | EV Bomo Thun | 0 | | | |
| 4 | EV Bomo Thun | 0 | 1 | ZSC Lions Frauen | 3 |
| | | | 2 | Ladies Team Lugano | 0 |
| 2 | Ladies Team Lugano | 3 | 2 | Ladies Team Lugano | 0 |
| 3 | HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | 1 | Game for 3rd place (best-of-5) | Game for 3rd place (best-of-5) | Game for 3rd place (best-of-5) |
| | | | 3 | HC Université Neuchâtel Dames | 1 |
| | | | 4 | EV Bomo Thun | 3 |

### Semi-Finals
#### (1) ZSC Lions Frauen vs. (4) EV Bomo Thun

* ZSC Lions Frauen won the series 3–0

#### (2) Ladies Team Lugano vs. (3) HC Université Neuchâtel Dames

* Ladies Team Lugano won the series 3–1

### Game for 3rd place

* EV Bomo Thun won the game and finish at the 3rd place.

### Finals

* ZSC Lions Frauen won the series 3–0
The two designated MVPs are: Evelina Raselli for Ladies Team Lugano and Caroline Baldin for ZSC Lions Frauen.

### Team of Swiss champions

Goalkeepers: Caroline Baldin, Laura De Bastiani
Defense: Laura Benz, Christy Blackburne, Nicole Gass, Nadine Hofstetter, Shannon Sigrist, Reica Staiger, Sabrina Zollinger
Offense: Christine Meier, Katrin Nabholz, Andrea Odermatt, Anna Rüedi, Dominique Rüegg, Noemi Ryhner, Angela Taylor, Isabel Waidacher, Monika Waidacher, Nina Waidacher
Coaching: Christof Amsler, Angela Frautschi

## Play-outs

* SC Reinach Damen won the series 3–2
SC Reinach Damen saves its place in SWHL A by winning the Play-outs.

## Promotion/Relegation

The champion of SWHL B, the GCK Lions, being the farm team of the ZSC Lions and the vice-champion, the EHC Brandis, having not requested to be eligible in SWHL A, the SC Langenthal having finished bronze medalist will play the promotion against the SC Weinfelden Ladies.
* SC Weinfelden Ladies won the series 2–0
SC Weinfelden Ladies saves its place in SWHL A by winning the Promotion/Relegation.