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2024–25 EIHL season

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The 2024–25 EIHL season was the 21st season of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the highest level of domestic ice hockey played in the United Kingdom, with three separate competitions played for between September 2024 and April 2025.[1][2]

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Ten teams competed in the league, over a 54-game regular season, with the best eight teams qualifying for the second competition, the playoffs. The playoffs were then held over three knockout rounds with aggregated quarter-finals, and one-off matches for the semi-finals and final – with the last two rounds played over the finals weekend at the Nottingham Arena. Teams also competed in the Challenge Cup, involving group play and one-off knockout rounds to crown its winner. The defending champion in all three competitions are the Sheffield Steelers, having completed a Grand Slam in 2023–24.

The first silverware of the season went to the Belfast Giants, who won the Challenge Cup for the sixth time overall, and a fifth time in seven seasons, with a 4–0 victory over the Cardiff Devils.[3][4] The Giants then added a record seventh regular season title, prevailing over the Steelers by three points, after both teams had entered the final day of the season with an opportunity to finish top of the table.[5] The Devils stopped a Grand Slam with a 5–0 win over the Giants in the playoff semi-final,[6] progressing to the final against the Nottingham Panthers.[7] In a final where both teams had a game-winning overtime goal overturned via coach's challenge, the Panthers won 4–3 in double overtime for their first playoff title since 2016.[8]

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Teams

The same ten teams that competed in 2023–24 remained for the 2024–25 season.

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Regular season

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League standings

Each team played 54 games, playing each of the other nine teams six times: three times on home ice, and three times away from home. Points were awarded for each game, two points were awarded for all victories, regardless of whether it was in regulation time or after overtime or game-winning shots. One point was awarded for losing in overtime or game-winning shots, and zero points for losing in regulation time. At the end of the regular season, the team that finished with the most points was crowned the league champion, and qualified for the 2025–26 Champions Hockey League.[9] The top eight teams qualified for the playoffs.[10]

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: Elite League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Games won in regulation time; 3) Number of games won; 4) Head-to-head results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 5) Fewest regulation losses; 6) Away game results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 7) Goals scored; 8) Goal difference; 9) Fewest penalty minutes; 10) Drawing of lots.
(C) Champion

Statistics

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the regular season.[11] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.

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Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders 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.[12]

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Playoffs

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Bracket

In the two-legged quarter-finals, the highest-ranked team met the lowest-ranked team, the second-highest-ranked team met the second-lowest-ranked team and so forth. The winners of each tie was determined by aggregate scoring over the two games. In the semi-finals, the highest remaining seed was matched against the lowest remaining seed, with the other two teams facing off. The winners of the semi-finals progressed to the Final, with the losers playing in the third-place match.

Quarter-finals
(11–13 April)
Semi-finals
(19 April)
Final
(20 April)
           
1 Belfast Giants 5 3 8
8 Dundee Stars 2 1 3
1 Belfast Giants 0
4 Cardiff Devils 5
2 Sheffield Steelers 1 4 5
7 Glasgow Clan 3 1 4
4 Cardiff Devils 3
(Pairings are reseeded after the first round)
3 Nottingham Panthers 4
3 Nottingham Panthers 2 6 8
6 Guildford Flames 3 3 6
2 Sheffield Steelers 3 Third place
3 Nottingham Panthers 4
4 Cardiff Devils 2 6 8 1 Belfast Giants 8
5 Coventry Blaze 0 3 3 2 Sheffield Steelers 7

Quarter-finals

(1) Belfast Giants vs. (8) Dundee Stars

12 April 2025 Belfast Giants 5–2 Dundee Stars SSE Arena Belfast
Attendance: 6,812
Recap  
Jordan Kawaguchi – 5:11 First period 14:54 – Kyle Pouncy
Second period No scoring
  • Mike Lee (2; PPG) – 5:27
  • Grant Mismash – 16:46
Third period 18:15 – Cole MacDonald
Jackson Whistle (29 shots / 27 saves) Goalie stats Jarrett Fiske (36 shots / 31 saves)
13 April 2025 Dundee Stars 1–3 Belfast Giants Dundee Ice Arena
Attendance: 1,957
Recap  
No scoring First period
  • 5:36 – Mark Cooper
  • 6:59 – J. J. Piccinich
  • 11:59 – Bobo Carpenter (PPG)
No scoring Second period No scoring
Spencer Naas – 13:51 Third period No scoring
Jarrett Fiske (31 shots / 28 saves) Goalie stats Jackson Whistle (28 shots / 27 saves)
Belfast Giants win 8–3 on aggregate.

(2) Sheffield Steelers vs. (7) Glasgow Clan

11 April 2025 Glasgow Clan 3–1 Sheffield Steelers Braehead Arena
Attendance: 2,764
Recap  
Mitchell Heard – 5:37 First period No scoring
No scoring Second period No scoring
  • Mitchell Heard (2) – 2:02
  • Matt Berry – 19:02
Third period 13:39 – Daniel Ciampini
Landon Bow (30 shots / 29 saves) Goalie stats Matt Greenfield (44 shots / 41 saves)
13 April 2025 Sheffield Steelers 4–1 OT Glasgow Clan Sheffield Arena
Attendance:8,468
Recap  
  • Mitchell Balmas – 7:38
  • Brandon Whistle – 8:29
First period No scoring
Kevin Tansey (PPG) – 1:45 Second period 17:14 – Steven Seigo
No scoring Third period No scoring
Patrick Watling – 2:23 First overtime period No scoring
Matt Greenfield (26 shots / 25 saves) Goalie stats Landon Bow (40 shots / 36 saves)
Sheffield Steelers win 5–4 on aggregate.

(3) Nottingham Panthers vs. (6) Guildford Flames

12 April 2025 Guildford Flames 3–2 Nottingham Panthers Guildford Spectrum
Attendance: 1,954
Recap  
Jack Jacome – 3:31 First period 16:21 – Tim Doherty
Daniel Tedesco – 15:42 Second period 14:02 – Tim Doherty (2; PPG)
Ethan Strang – 11:08 Third period No scoring
Eamon McAdam (45 shots / 43 saves) Goalie stats Jason Grande (33 shots / 30 saves)
13 April 2025 Nottingham Panthers 6–3 Guildford Flames Nottingham Arena
Attendance:6,666
Recap  
  • Davis Bunz – 1:43
  • Mitch Fossier (PPG) – 3:36
First period No scoring
  • Hugo Roy – 16:07
  • Mitch Fossier (2) – 16:51
Second period
  • 7:35 – Ethan Strang (PPG)
  • 11:01 – Brett Welychka (PPG)
  • Mitch Fossier (3; PS) – 6:48
  • Matt Spencer (ENG) – 19:45
Third period 8:56 – Brett Ferguson (PPG)
Jason Grande (39 shots / 36 saves) Goalie stats Eamon McAdam (30 shots / 25 saves)
Nottingham Panthers win 8–6 on aggregate.

(4) Cardiff Devils vs. (5) Coventry Blaze

12 April 2025 Coventry Blaze 0–2 Cardiff Devils Coventry Skydome
Attendance: 2,219
Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period
No scoring Third period No scoring
Mat Robson (34 shots / 32 saves) Goalie stats Ben Bowns (34 shots / 34 saves)
13 April 2025 Cardiff Devils 6–3 Coventry Blaze Ice Arena Wales
Attendance: 3,110
Recap  
Brad Schoonbaert – 14:49 First period
  • 1:42 – Jackson Cressey
  • 14:25 – Morten Jurgens
Ryan Barrow – 12:26 Second period 1:22 – Alessio Luciani
Third period No scoring
Ben Bowns (33 shots / 30 saves) Goalie stats Mat Robson (34 shots / 28 saves)
Cardiff Devils win 8–3 on aggregate.

Semi-finals

Following the conclusion of the quarter-final matchups, the schedule for the Finals weekend was confirmed.

19 April 2025
15:00
Belfast Giants0–5
(0–1, 0–4, 0–0)
Cardiff DevilsNottingham Arena
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19 April 2025
19:00
Sheffield Steelers3–4 (OT)
(1–0, 1–1, 1–2, 0–1)
Nottingham PanthersNottingham Arena
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Third-place match

20 April 2025
13:00
Belfast Giants8–7
(3–4, 2–1, 3–2)
Sheffield SteelersNottingham Arena
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Final

20 April 2025
17:00
Nottingham Panthers4–3 (2OT)
(1–0, 2–1, 0–2, 0–0, 1–0)
Cardiff DevilsNottingham Arena
More information Game reference ...

Statistics

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the playoffs.[13] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.

More information Player, Team ...

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders 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 playoffs.[14]

More information Player, Team(s) ...
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Challenge Cup

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The Challenge Cup was split into two stages: an initial group stage where the league's ten teams were divided into two groups based on geographical distance – one group of six teams (Group A) and a group of four teams (Group B).[15] The teams in Group A (the five English teams and the Cardiff Devils) played each of the other teams twice for a total of ten games, while the teams in Group B (the three Scottish teams and the Belfast Giants) played each of the other teams four times for a total of twelve games.

The top two teams in Group A and the winners of Group B qualified for the semi-finals. The runners-up in Group B faced the third-placed team in Group A in a one-off game, held at the arena of the team with a higher group stage points percentage, to determine the final semi-finalist.[16]

Group stage

Group A

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: Elite League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Games won in regulation time; 3) Number of games won; 4) Head-to-head results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 5) Fewest regulation losses; 6) Away game results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 7) Goals scored; 8) Goal difference; 9) Fewest penalty minutes; 10) Drawing of lots.

Group B

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: Elite League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Games won in regulation time; 3) Number of games won; 4) Head-to-head results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 5) Fewest regulation losses; 6) Away game results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 7) Goals scored; 8) Goal difference; 9) Fewest penalty minutes; 10) Drawing of lots.

Knockout stage

Bracket

  • Play-in match
  • (January 2025)
  • Semi-finals
  • (February 2025)
  • Final
  • (March 2025)
1Belfast Giants303
4Nottingham Panthers54Nottingham Panthers022
5Glasgow Clan11Belfast Giants4
3Cardiff Devils0
2Sheffield Steelers516
3Cardiff Devils347

Play-in match

22 January 2025
19:30
Nottingham Panthers5–1
(2–0, 1–1, 2–0)
Glasgow ClanNottingham Arena
Attendance: 3,813
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Semi-finals

As the highest seed from the group stage, the Belfast Giants selected the Nottingham Panthers to be their semi-final opponents,[17] with the Sheffield Steelers taking on the Cardiff Devils as a result of this.[18]

(1) Belfast Giants vs. (4) Nottingham Panthers
12 February 2025 Belfast Giants 3–0 Nottingham Panthers SSE Arena Belfast
Attendance: 6,283
Recap  
First period No scoring
No scoring Second period No scoring
Jordan Kawaguchi – 7:48 Third period No scoring
Jackson Whistle (31 shots / 31 saves) Goalie stats Jason Grande (30 shots / 27 saves)
26 February 2025 Nottingham Panthers 2–0 Belfast Giants Nottingham Arena
Attendance: 5,263
Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
Zsombor Garát (PPG) – 12:17 Second period No scoring
Cooper Zech – 0:37 Third period No scoring
Jason Grande (32 shots / 32 saves) Goalie stats Jackson Whistle (29 shots / 27 saves)
Belfast Giants win 3–2 on aggregate.
(2) Sheffield Steelers vs. (3) Cardiff Devils
5 February 2025 Sheffield Steelers 5–3 Cardiff Devils Sheffield Arena
Attendance: 6,277
Recap  
  • Cole Shudra – 9:17
  • Joona Huttula – 13:52
First period No scoring
Mitchell Balmas (PPG) – 10:21 Second period
  • Patrick Watling (PPG) – 2:23
  • Daniel Leavens (PPG) – 6:36
Third period 10:03 – Cole Sanford (2)
Matt Greenfield (16 shots / 13 saves) Goalie stats Mac Carruth (40 shots / 35 saves)
12 February 2025 Cardiff Devils 4–1 Sheffield Steelers Ice Arena Wales
Attendance: 3,110
Recap  
  • Cole Sanford – 13:55
  • Josh MacDonald – 19:00
First period No scoring
Zach O'Brien – 10:45 Second period No scoring
Joey Martin – 2:52 Third period 7:25 – Mitchell Balmas
Mac Carruth (29 shots / 28 saves) Goalie stats Matt Greenfield (30 shots / 26 saves)
Cardiff Devils win 7–6 on aggregate.

Final

As the highest remaining seed,[19] the Belfast Giants had home advantage for the final against the Cardiff Devils.[20]

12 March 2025
19:00
Belfast Giants4–0
(2–0, 2–0, 0–0)
Cardiff DevilsSSE Arena Belfast
Attendance: 6,149
More information Game reference ...

Statistics

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the Challenge Cup.[21] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.

More information Player, Team ...

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders 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 Challenge Cup.[22]

More information Player, Team(s) ...
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References

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