Inter-National League

The Inter-National League was an international ice hockey league that was a partnership between the national federations of Austria and Slovenia. It was created as a solution to semi-professional hockey in both Austria and neighboring Slovenia. The league merged with the Serie A to become the Alps Hockey League in 2016.
==History==
The Inter-National League was founded on July 14, 2012 with seven teams joining the inaugural season. In Austria, seven out of 11 teams from last year’s second tier Austrian National League had left the league. Two teams, Dornbirner EC and TWK Innsbruck, were accepted into the Austrian Hockey League (also referred to as the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga due to sponsorship reasons.) The remaining teams either folded or chose to play in lower local leagues.
Acroni Jesenice was confirmed to become an inaugural member. However, due to financial problems the team informed the league that they would be folding effective August 31, 2012 (two weeks before the start of the season.)
On June 8, 2013, the league's 2013–14 season was decided and it saw the league jump from six teams to 15. After the late fold of Acroni Jesenice, Team Jesenice participated in the league this season as one of four new Slovenian clubs. The other three Slovenian newcomers were Bled, Maribor and Celje. The league also welcomed Italian sides SV Caldaro/Kaltern, Eppan Pirates, Merano Junior, Neumarkt-Egna Wildgoose and Gherdëina.
For the 2014–15 season, Maribor and the five Italian teams left the league, whereas Kitzbühel and Steelers Kapfenberg joined the competition. In addition, the teams were allowed four imports (two U-22, and two with no age limit). These imports could not have been exchanged between teams in the league.
==Scheduling==
The inaugural INL season started on September 15, 2012, while the last game in the regular season took place on March 2, 2013. The INL playoffs semi-finals and finals were all played in best-of-five format.
The scheduling for the INL was designed to keep the travel costs at a minimum. Each team played a total of 36 games in a set of six rounds (three home games, three away against all six opponents.) The league featured a "double weekend", where opponents were played on back-to-back games during the weekend.
==Scoring==
INL games were scored with the "three-point rule": three points for the winner after regular time, two points if teams win after overtime or shootout, and one for the loser after regular time.
==Trades and transfers==
Transfers were permitted during the season, but only if both teams reached an agreement.
==Teams==
Team 	City 	Arena 	Founded 	
Former teams 	Former teams 	Former teams 	Former teams	Former teams
Bled 	Bled 	Bled Ice Hall 	1999 	
Bregenzerwald 	Bregenz Forest	Alberschwerde 	1985 	
Celje 	Celje 	Golovec Ice Hall 	1998 	
Eppan Pirates 	Eppan 	Eisstadion Eppan 	1981 	
Feldkirch 	Feldkirch 	Vorarlberghalle 	1945 	
Gherdëina 	Sëlva 	Pranives Ice Stadium 	1927 	
Jesenice 	Jesenice 	Podmežakla Hall 	2013 	
Kaltern 	Kaltern 	Palaghiaccio Kaltern 	1962 	
Kitzbühel 	Kitzbühel 	Sportpark Kapserbrucke 	1910 	
KSV Eishockey 	Kapfenberg 	Sportzentrum Kapfenberg	2015 	
Lustenau 	Lustenau 	Rheinhalle Lustenau 	1970 	
Maribor 	Maribor 	Tabor Ice Hall 	1993 	
Merano 	Merano 	Meranarena 	2001 	
Neumarkt-Egna 	Neumarkt 	Würth Arena 	1963 	
Slavija 	Ljubljana 	Zalog Ice Hall 	1964 	
Steelers Kapfenberg	Kapfenberg 	Sportzentrum Kapfenberg	2014 	
Triglav Kranj 	Kranj 	Zlato Polje Ice Hall 	1968 	
Zell am See 	Zell am See 	Eishalle Zell am See 	1928 	
==Inter-National League seasons==
Season 	Champions 	Runners-up
2012–13	Bregenzerwald	Slavija
2013–14	Neumarkt-Egna	Bregenzerwald
2014–15	Lustenau 	Feldkirch
2015–16	Bregenzerwald	Lustenau
==References==
==External links==
*EliteProspects: Inter-National-League
 
Category:Defunct multi-national ice hockey leagues in Europe
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Category:Established in 2012
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Category:Disestablished in 2016