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 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 will participate in the league this season as one of four new Slovenian clubs. The other three Slovenian newcomers are Bled, Maribor and Celje. The league also welcomed Italian sides SV Caldaro/Kaltern, Eppan Pirates, Merano Junior, Neumarkt-Egna Wildgoose and Gherdëina. For the 2013–14 season, the teams were allowed four imports (two U-22, and two with no age limit). These imports may not be exchanged between teams in the league.
The Italian teams all withdrew after the 2013-14 season, as the Italian Federation mandated they join the country's national league, the Serie A.
==Scheduling==
The inaugural INL season will start on September 15, 2012, while the last game in the regular season takes place on March 2, 2013. The INL playoffs semi-finals and finals are all played in best-of-five format. The fifth game of the playoffs final - if necessary - would be on the April 2, 2013.
The scheduling for the INL was designed to keep the travel costs at a minimum. Each time will play thirty-six games total in a set of six rounds (three home games, three away against all six opponents.) The league will feature a "double weekend", where opponents are played on back-to-back games during the weekend.
==Scoring==
INL games will be scored with the "three-point rule": three points for the winner after regular time, two points if teams win at overtime or shootout, one for the loser after regular time.
==Trades and transfers==
Transfers will be permitted during the season, but only if both teams reach an agreement.
==Teams==
Team 	City/area 	Arena 	Capacity 	Founded
Former teams 	Former teams 	Former teams 	Former teams	Former teams
Bled 	Bled 	Bled Ice Hall 	1,000 	1999
Bregenzerwald 	Bregenz Forest	Alberschwerde 	4,270 	1985
Celje 	Celje 	Golovec Ice Hall 	500 	1998
Eppan Pirates 	Eppan 	Eisstadion Eppan 	1,400 	1981
Feldkirch 	Feldkirch 	Vorarlberghalle 	5,200 	1945
Gherdëina 	Sëlva 	Pranives Ice Stadium 	2,000 	1927
Jesenice 	Jesenice 	Podmežakla Hall 	4,500 	2013
Kaltern 	Kaltern 	Palaghiaccio Kaltern 	850 	1962
Kitzbühel 	Kitzbühel 	Sportpark Kapserbrucke 	1,700 	1910
KSV Eishockey 	Kapfenberg 	Sportzentrum Kapfenberg	4,000 	2015
Lustenau 	Lustenau 	Rheinhalle Lustenau 	2,200 	1970
Maribor 	Maribor 	Tabor Ice Hall 	1,000 	1993
Merano 	Merano 	Meranarena 	1,000 	2001
Neumarkt-Egna 	Neumarkt 	Würth Arena 	3,500 	1963
Slavija 	Ljubljana 	Zalog Ice Hall 	1,000 	1964
Kapfenberg Steelers	Kapfenberg 	Sportzentrum Kapfenberg	4,000 	2014
Triglav Kranj 	Kranj 	Zlato Polje Ice Hall 	1,000 	1968
Zell am See 	Zell am See 	Eishalle Zell am See 	2,600 	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==
*Official site
*EliteProspects: Inter-National-League
Category:Ice hockey leagues