2010–11 EIHL season


The 2010–11 Elite Ice Hockey League season started on 25 August 2010, with the annual Charity Shield match between Coventry Blaze and Belfast Giants.
The game took place at 7.30 pm on 25 August 2010. The match ended in 4-2 victory for the Giants.
The League proper started on 4 September,. Two new teams joined for the 2010–11 season- the Braehead Clan and the Dundee Stars.
Sky Sports broadcast one live game every Friday, and also showed the Belfast Giants v Nottingham Panthers opening night game live followed by a live game once every month.
The EIHL appointed an official mascot called Rory, who wears a light blue hockey jersey and the number 00.

Teams

TeamArena
Belfast GiantsOdyssey Arena
Braehead ClanBraehead Arena
Cardiff DevilsCardiff Arena
Coventry BlazeSkyDome Arena
Dundee StarsDundee Ice Arena
Edinburgh CapitalsMurrayfield Ice Rink
Hull StingraysHull Arena
Newcastle VipersWhitley Bay Ice Rink
Nottingham PanthersNational Ice Centre
Sheffield SteelersMotorpoint Arena/IceSheffield

Elite League Table

GP=Games Played
W=Win,
L=Lose,
OTW=Over Time Loses,
OTL=Shoot Out Loses,
Pts=Points,

Elite League Playoffs

The end of season playoffs were held at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham during the weekend of 2 and 3 April 2011.
The weekend began with the biggest rivalry in the game, with the Sheffield Steelers playing the Nottingham Panthers. Sheffield took an early 2-goal advantage, but Panthers fought back, and went on to steal the game 4–3 in overtime, Robert Lachowicz scoring the winning goal. The second semi-final between Cardiff Devils and Belfast Giants saw Cardiff win by 4 goals to 1, seen by many as an upset, as Belfast were fancied to take the crown.
The title was won by the Nottingham Panthers after defeating Cardiff Devils 5–4 in a closely fought final, where again Nottingham came from two goals down.

Challenge Cup

Top 2 in each group qualify for Semi-Finals
means teams has qualified for Semi-Finals

Group A

PositionTeamGPWLTGFGAGDPts
1Belfast Giants 85123120+1112
2Newcastle Vipers 84223229+310
3Braehead Clan84313124+79
4Edinburgh Capitals83412427−37
5Dundee Stars80621836−182

Group B

PositionTeamGPWLTGFGAGDPts
1Nottingham Panthers 83142315+810
2Cardiff Devils 83143331+210
3Sheffield Steelers84313229+39
4Coventry Blaze83412223−17
5Hull Stingrays81521931−124

Challenge Cup Knockout Stages

The success of the Aladdin 20–20 Cup during the previous season led the EIHL to schedule a second such contest. The second 20–20 Cup took place in Nottingham on Saturday, 12 March 2011 and included four teams: the Nottingham Panthers, Sheffield Steelers, Coventry Blaze and Braehead Clan.
The Braehead Clan captured their first EIHL trophy, defeating the host Nottingham Panthers by a score of 3–0. Braehead goaltender J.F. Parras kept a clean sheet in the final and Adam Walker, Ryan Campbell and captain Brendan Cook all scored.

Boston Bruins Select Game

On Saturday, 2 October, the Belfast Giants select side, made of Elite League Players played a Boston Bruins select side at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast. Boston won the match 5–1.
1st period2nd Period3rd PeriodFinal score
Boston Bruins0325
Belfast Giants0101

Period 1

No scoring

Period 2

Goals
Boston BruinsBelfast Giants
Tyler Seguin Jade Galbraith
Zdeno Chara
Dennis Seidenberg

Penalties

Period 3

Goals
Boston BruinsBelfast Giants
Milan Lucic
Tyler Seguin

Penalties