English Premier Ice Hockey League

The English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) was an ice hockey league of 10 teams, all of which were based in England. Headquartered in Blackpool, the EPIHL was one of two professional ice hockey leagues in the United Kingdom (the other being the Elite Ice Hockey League). A total of 27 teams played in the league at one time or another. Swindon Wildcats were the only team to have consistently featured in the EPIHL since its inaugural season in 1997-98. In 2017, the league was disbanded, with its teams either joining the top-tier Elite Ice Hockey League or the second-tier National Ice Hockey League.
==History==
The league was founded in 1997, under the banner of "national division", as part of the English National Ice Hockey League in order to serve former members of the British National League who couldn't afford to remain in the latter as a result of increased operating costs; but who were capable of a level of play above the import-free English leagues that made up the rest of the ENIHL. During the 1997-98 season the teams that constituted this division played dual schedules; a series of games solely amongst their own division, and another amongst all the teams that were playing under the ENIHL at that time. Solihull Blaze won the league and play-off trophies of both formats during this inaugural season. At the start of the 1998-99 season the divisions, whilst still both under the ENIHL umbrella, performed in their own separate competitions; and the national division adopted the name "premier division", and later on became known as the "premier league". By the end of the season the league had established itselfhttps://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_Ice_Hockey_League_2016/17 outside of the ENIHL as the "English Premier Ice Hockey League". In 2005 the BNL disbanded; leaving the EPIHL to take its place as the second tier of the national game.
In 2017, the league was dissolved. The Milton Keynes Lightning and Guildford Flames joined the Elite League, Manchester Phoenix folded, and the remaining seven teams became part of the National Ice Hockey League.
==Organizational structure==
The league was ruled and governed by the English Ice Hockey Association.http://www.eiha.co.uk/EIHA/WhosWho/tabid/164/Default.aspx The current chairman of the EPIHL is Ken Taggart. The team owners meet regularly to discuss league matters under the auspices of the league chairman, and take a democratic vote on all decisions.
===Executives===
*Chairman: Ken Taggart
*Chief Referee: Mohammad Ashraff
*Administrator: Mary Faunt
*Fixtures Secretary: Andy French
*Teams Owners Rep: Harry Howton
*Statistician: Malcolm Preen
*Registrations: Liz Moralee
==Game==
Each English Premier Ice Hockey League regulation game is played between two teams and is 60 minutes long. The game is composed of three 20-minute periods with an intermission of 12½ minutes between periods. At the end of the 60-minute regulation time, the team with the most goals wins the game.
Previously, if a game was tied it would end a draw, but in the 2008-09 season, the rule was changed to; if a game is tied after regulation time, overtime ensues. Overtime is a five-minute, four-player on four-player sudden-death period, in which the first team to score a goal wins the game. If the game is still tied at the end of overtime, the game enters a shootout. Five players for each team in turn take a penalty shot. The team with the most goals at the end of the five-round shootout wins the game. If the game is still tied after the five shootout rounds, the shootout continues but becomes sudden death. Whichever team ultimately wins the shootout is awarded a goal in the game score and thus awarded two points in the standings. The losing team in overtime or shootout is awarded only one.
==List of teams==
===2016-17 Teams===
Team 	City/Area 	Arena 	Founded	Joined
Basingstoke Bison 	Basingstoke, Hampshire 	Planet Ice Silverdome Arena 	1988 	2009
Bracknell Bees 	Bracknell, Berkshire 	John Nike Leisuresport Complex	1987 	2005
Hull Pirates 	Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire	Hull Arena 	2015 	2015
Peterborough Phantoms	Peterborough, [ambridgeshire 	Planet Ice Peterborough 	2002 	2002
Sheffield Steeldogs 	Sheffield, South Yorkshire 	IceSheffield 	2010 	2010
Swindon Wildcats 	Swindon, Wiltshire 	Link Centre 	1986 	2005
Telford Tigers 	Telford, Shropshire 	Telford Ice Rink 	1985 	2005
; Notes
# Although the Telford Tigers joined the league in 2005. They did not play in the 2009–10 season due to financial issues.
===Former teams===
Team 	City 	Founded 	Joined 	Left
Billingham Eagles 	Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees 	1996 	1997 	1998
Blackburn Hawks 	Blackburn, Lancashire 	1990 	1998 	1999
Chelmsford Chieftains 	Chelmsford, Essex 	1987 	19982002	20002008
Coventry Blaze(aka "Solihull Blaze") 	Solihull, West Midlands 	1965 	1997 	1999
Guildford Flames 	Guildford, Surrey 	1992 	2005 	2017
Haringey Greyhounds 	Harringay, Greater London 	1990 	2000 	2003
Hull Stingrays 	Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire 	2003 	2005 	2006
Invicta Dynamos 	Gillingham, Kent 	1997 	1997 	2003
Kingston Jets 	Kingston-upon-Thames, London 	1996 	1997 	1998
London Raiders 	Romford, Greater London 	1987 	19982002	20002010
Manchester Phoenix 	Manchester 	2003 	2009 	2017
Milton Keynes Kings(aka "Solihull Kings")	Milton Keynes, BuckinghamshireSolihull, West Midlands	1990 	1998 	1999
Milton Keynes Lightning 	Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire 	2002 	2002 	2017
Nottingham Lions 	Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 	2000 	2000 	2003
Oxford Blades 	Oxford, Oxfordshire 	1998 	1998 	2000
Slough Jets 	Slough, Berkshire 	1986 	2002 	2014
Solihull Barons 	Solihull, West Midlands 	20002005	20002005	20022007
Solihull Kings 	Solihull, West Midlands 	2003 	2003 	2005
Sunderland Chiefs 	Sunderland, Tyne and Wear 	1977 	1997 	1998
Whitley Warriors 	Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear 	1955 	1997 	1998
Wightlink Raiders 	Ryde, Isle of Wight 	1991 	1997 	2009
==League Champions==
Season 	League 	Play-offs 	EPL Cup 	Knockout Cup 	British Challenge Cup
1998–99	Solihull Barons 	Solihull Barons 	Milton Keynes Kings 	— 	—
1999–00	Chelmsford Chieftains 	Chelmsford Chieftains 	— 	— 	—
2000–01	Swindon Wildcats 	Romford Raiders 	Wightlink Raiders 	— 	—
2001–02	Invicta Dynamos 	Invicta Dynamos 	Romford Raiders 	— 	—
2002–03	Peterborough Phantoms 	Milton Keynes Lightning	Wightlink Raiders 	— 	—
2003–04	Milton Keynes Lightning	Milton Keynes Lightning	Peterborough Phantoms 	— 	—
2004–05	Milton Keynes Lightning	Milton Keynes Lightning	Romford Raiders 	— 	—
2005–06	Guildford Flames 	Milton Keynes Lightning	Bracknell Bees 	— 	—
2006–07	Bracknell Bees 	Bracknell Bees 	Guildford Flames 	— 	—
2007–08	Guildford Flames 	Slough Jets 	Bracknell Bees 	Peterborough Phantoms	—
2008–09	Peterborough Phantoms 	Peterborough Phantoms 	Peterborough Phantoms 	— 	—
2009–10	Milton Keynes Lightning	Slough Jets 	Guildford Flames 	— 	—
2010–11	Manchester Phoenix 	Guildford Flames 	Slough Jets 	— 	—
2011–12	Guildford Flames 	Slough Jets 	Guildford Flames 	— 	—
2012–13	Guildford Flames 	Manchester Phoenix 	Guildford Flames 	— 	—
2013–14	Manchester Phoenix 	Basingstoke Bison 	Basingstoke Bison 	— 	—
2014–15	Telford Tigers 	Peterborough Phantoms 	— 	— 	Telford Tigers
2015-16	Basingstoke Bison 	Guildford Flames 	Guildford Flames 	— 	—
2016-17	Telford Tigers 	Milton Keynes Lightning	Milton Keynes Lightning	- 	-
===Most titles===
Team 	League	Play-offs	EPL Cup	Total
Guildford Flames 	4 	2 	5 	11
Milton Keynes Lightning	3 	5 	1 	9
Peterborough Phantoms 	2 	2 	2 	6
Solihull Blaze 	2 	2 	0 	4
Bracknell Bees 	1 	1 	2 	4
Slough Jets 	0 	3 	1 	4
Manchester Phoenix 	2 	1 	0 	3
London Raiders 	0 	1 	2 	3
Basingstoke Bison 	1 	1 	1 	3
Chelmsford Chieftains 	1 	1 	0 	2
Invicta Dynamos 	1 	1 	0 	2
Telford Tigers 	2 	0 	1 	3
Swindon Wildcats 	1 	0 	0 	1
Milton Keynes Kings 	0 	0 	1 	1
Wightlink Raiders 	0 	0 	1 	1
== External links ==
* EPIHL Official Website
* Unofficial EPIHL website & Forum
== Notes ==
Category:Ice hockey leagues