GET - Ligaen GET - ligaen ( English : " the " GET - league ) is the premier Norwegian ice hockey league , organised by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation . The league was known as 1 . divisjon ( " 1st division " ) until 1990 , when it was reorganized and named Eliteserien ( " The Elite League " ) . That name was held until 2004 when cable TV company UPC Broadband became main sponsor . UPC Norway changed its name to GET in 2006 and hence the name of the league was also altered . The league works on the premise of promotion and relegation , so the two teams who placed last must play the top two teams from First Division ( the league ranked immediately below GET - ligaen ) for the rights to play in next GET - ligaen season . Season structure . The Eliteserien season is divided into a regular season , lasting from mid September to the first week of March , and a postseason , consisting of the Norwegian Championship playoffs , and qualification for the league in the following season . During the regular season , clubs play each other in a predefined schedule . The Norwegian Championship , which is contested in March and April , is an elimination tournament where two clubs play each other in a best - of - seven series in order to advance to the next round . The final remaining team is crowned the Norwegian champion . Teams not qualified for the playoffs must compete with the best teams from the second league level — 1 . divisjon — for the right to play in next season ' s Eliteserien . Regular season . The league ' s regular season is organized according to a quintuple round robin format implemented ahead of the 2008 – 09 season . Clubs play each other five times , at least twice at home and twice away , for a total of 45 games per team . The right to play the fifth game at home is awarded on a rotational basis determined by the final standings in 2007 – 08 . The five highest ranked clubs were awarded a third home game in 2008 – 09 ; the other five clubs would then get an extra home game in 2009 – 10 , and from then on , every other season . However , because of the bankruptcy of Comet in October 2009 and reduction to nine teams for that season , a sixth round robin was added to the schedule so that all teams played an equal number of home and away games , amounting to 48 in total . Points are awarded for each game , where three points are awarded for a win in regulation time , two points for win in overtime or a shootout and one point for a loss in overtime or a shootout . No points are awarded for a loss in regulation time . Teams are ranked by total points ; if two or more teams have an equal number of points , they are separated using head to head records , then goal difference head to head and goals scored head to head . If two or more teams are still ranked equally , goal difference and goals scored in all 45 games are used to break the tie . At the end of the regular season , the team that finishes with the most points is crowned league champion . Playoffs . The Norwegian Ice Hockey Championship , or playoff s , is contested by the eight best teams in the league following the conclusion of the regular season . There are three rounds , each played as a best - of - seven series ; the winner advances to the next round , while the loser is eliminated from the tournament . In the first round , or quarter - finals , the highest seed chooses which of the two lowest seeds to be matched against . The highest remaining seed then chooses between the two lowest remaining seeds until all teams have an opponent . In the second round , or semi - finals , the teams are re - seeded , with the highest remaining seed again being allowed to choose which of the two lowest remaining seeds to play against . The remaining teams pair off in the other semi - final , and the winner of each series advances to the finals . In each round the higher - ranked team is said to be the team with the home ice advantage . Four of the seven games are played at this team ' s home venue — the first and third , and , when necessary , the fifth and seventh games — with the other games played at the lower - ranked team ' s home venue . In the finals , the team with the most points during the regular season is given home - ice advantage . Relegation . The two lowest ranked teams after the regular season are in danger of being relegated and will have to play in a qualification tournament along with the two highest ranked teams from the 1 . divisjon . Reserve teams are not eligible for participation . All four teams must agree to play in the Eliteserien ( if promoted ) before they are allowed to participate in qualifying . If a team is unable , for whatever reason , to make such a commitment , the position is offered to another team in the 1 . divisjon . The tournament is played in March and is organized according to a double round robin format : each club plays the others twice , home and away , for a total of six games . The points system and ranking method used are the same as in the Eliteserien . At the end of the tournament , the winner and runner - up qualify for next Eliteserien season , while the other two are demoted to ( or remain in ) the 1 . divisjon . Teams . The following ten clubs will compete in the Eliteserien during the 2010 – 11 season . GET - ligaen awards and statistics . The Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation and the teams ' organisation ( Elite Hockey AS ) announce a number of awards , among others : Since 1993 , the league is averaging 1 , 400 spectators visiting the games , ranging from a low of 820 in 1996 / 7 to 1600 in 1994 / 5 . With the increase in the number of games played , the total attendance is approaching 400 , 000 in the last few years . See GET - ligaen seasons attendance for more details .