2014–15 Hockeyettan season


The 2014–15 Hockeyettan season was the 16th season that Hockeyettan has functioned as the third tier of ice hockey in Sweden, organized by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. The initial groups began on 21 September 2014 and ended on 10 December 2014. The following Allettan groups and continuation groups started on 27 December 2014 and finished on 15 February 2015. The promotion playoffs to the HockeyAllsvenskan qualifier began on 19 February 2015 and ended on 6–7 March 2015. The Hockeyettan qualifiers began on 1 March 2015 and ended on 25 March 2015. The HockeyAllsvenskan qualifier began on 12 March 2015 and ended on 4 April 2015.

Format

The 2014–15 Hockeyettan season will feature 47 teams divided into four geographical groups: Norra, Östra, Västra, and Södra. This is a contraction compared to the previous season, which featured 53 teams divided into five groups. With the exception of Hockeyettan North which will have 11 teams, each of the groups will consist of 12 teams. At the end of the groups in December, the top four teams in each of the Hockeyettan North and Hockeyettan East groups will qualify for the Allettan Norra group, and the top four teams in each of the Hockeyettan West and Hockeyettan South groups will qualify for the Allettan Södra group, after Christmas. Meanwhile, the remaining teams in each starting group will continue playing in their starting group after Christmas. In the continuation groups, the teams will be given extra points dependent on their ranking in their initial group; the lowest-ranked team gets 0 points, the second-lowest-ranked team gets 1 point, the third-lowest-ranked team gets 2 points, and so on. The two Allettan winners will go directly to the 2015 HockeyAllsvenskan qualifier, which determines promotion to the second-tier league HockeyAllsvenskan. The top two teams in each of the four continuation groups, as well as the teams ranked 2–5 in each of the two Allettan groups, will qualify for the promotion playoffs, which are played in three rounds—PlayOff 1, 2, and 3—and battle to reach the HockeyAllsvenskan qualifier. Each playoff team will start in PlayOff 1, unlike previous seasons where a certain team's placement in their spring group affected whether that team started in PlayOff 1, 2 or 3. The worst-ranked team in the Norra continuation group, and the two worst-ranked teams in each of the three other continuation groups, will have to play in the Hockeyettan qualifier round-robin tournament for their region to avoid relegation to Division 2, the fourth-tier league. In each of the four Hockeyettan qualifiers, the Hockeyettan team will face four of the best teams from the four Division 2 regions. The North Hockeyettan team will face all four teams from Division 2 North; the East Hockeyettan teams will face two teams from Division 2 East, one from Division 2 West and one from Division 2 South; the West Hockeyettan teams will face two teams from Division 2 West, one from Division 2 East and one from Division 2 South; and the Hockeyettan South teams will face two teams from Division 2 South, one from Division 2 East and one from Division 2 West. Per the 2014–15 season format, only the top-ranked team from each of the four qualifiers will be guaranteed a spot in Hockeyettan for the 2015–16 season. The two remaining playoff teams after PlayOff 3 will join the two Allettan winners and the two lowest-ranked teams in HockeyAllsvenskan in the 2015 HockeyAllsvenskan qualifier, where the teams will play a double round-robin tournament and battle for four spots in HockeyAllsvenskan for the 2015–16 season. The remaining teams in the Allettan groups and the continuation groups will remain in Hockeyettan for the 2015–16 season. All groups that are formed in the season, including the initial ones and the qualifiers for HockeyAllsvenskan and Hockeyettan, will be played as double round-robins, with each team playing the other teams in their group once at home and once on the road.
Per the format in the 2014–15 season, the 2015–16 season would be contracted down to 42 teams. It would mark the league's fifth contraction in six seasons, with the first contraction occurring in the 2010–11 season. However, the SIHA may promote more teams from the Hockeyettan qualifiers than planned, depending on if teams from HockeyAllsvenskan are relegated and what groups those teams are placed in for the 2015–16 season.

Playing format

Each game consists of three 20-minute regulation periods, for a total of 60 minutes. After the 60 regulation minutes, the team with the most goals scored wins the game. If a non-playoff game is tied after regulation time, a five-minute overtime period ensues, in which the team scoring the next goal wins the game. If no team scores during the overtime period, a shootout ensues, with each team taking three penalty shots against the opposing team's goaltender. If the game is still tied after the three penalty shot rounds, additional rounds ensue until one team scores and the other team doesn't. In non-playoff games, points are awarded for each game, with a win in regulation time giving 3 points, an overtime/shootout win 2 points, an overtime/shootout loss 1 point, and a regulation loss 0 points. In the promotion playoffs, if a game is tied after regulation time, 20-minute overtime periods ensue until one team scores and wins the game.

Tiebreak

In group play, if two or more teams end up tied in points, the following tiebreakers are used:
  1. Better goal difference;
  2. Higher number of goals scored;
  3. Results in games between the tied teams.

    Participating clubs

Per the playing format in the previous season, Hockeyettan would be contracted by 10 teams for the 2014–15 season. The SIHA originally planned to have 48 teams in this season but eventually decided to have only 11 teams in Hockeyettan North, giving a total of 47 teams. The East, West, and South groups all have 12 teams each. The previous season featured 53 teams divided into five groups. The SIHA promoted the four second-placed teams from Hockeyettan qualifiers C–F to get 47 teams in the 2014–15 season. However, two of those 47 qualified teams pulled out of the league during the preseason, resulting in two other teams being promoted from the qualifiers:
Hockeyettan NorthHockeyettan EastHockeyettan WestHockeyettan South
IF Sundsvall Hockey
Kalix UHC
Kiruna IF
Kovlands IshF
Örnsköldsviks HF
Östersunds IK
Piteå HC
SK Lejon
Sollefteå HK
Tegs SK
Vännäs HC
Åker/Strängnäs HC
Enköpings SK HK
Hammarby IF
Haninge Anchors HC
Huddinge IK
Hudiksvalls HC
IF Vallentuna BK
Tierps HK
Värmdö HC
Väsby IK HK
Visby/Roma HK
Wings HC Arlanda
Borlänge HF
Forshaga IF
Grästorps IK
IFK Arboga IK
Kumla HC Black Bulls
Lindlövens IF
Mariestad BoIS HC
Skövde IK
Surahammars IF
Tranås AIF IF
Västerviks IK
Vimmerby HC
Halmstad HF
HC Dalen
Helsingborgs HC
IF Troja/Ljungby
IK Pantern
Kallinge-Ronneby IF
Kristianstads IK
Mörrums GoIS IK
Nybro Vikings IF
Olofströms IK
Tingsryds AIF
Varberg Vipers

r = Relegated from 2013–14 HockeyAllsvenskan
p = Promoted from 2013–14 Division 2

Team map

Initial groups

Hockeyettan North

#Team
1IF Sundsvall2017308636+50551002
2Kalix UHC2013529043+47481031
3Piteå HC2014338038+42470021
4Östersunds IK2012267651+25390011
5Örnsköldsvik HF2011367653+23371101
6Kiruna IF207587365+8292111
7Tegs SK2062124861–13220020
8Vännäs HC2063114269–27210300
9Kovlands IshF2044124464–20182101
10SK Lejon20221640103–6380101
11Sollefteå HK20201834106–7260000

Source:

Hockeyettan East

#Team
1Huddinge IK2214538748+39514001
2Visby/Roma HK2213368867+21442001
3Hudiksvalls HC2212467458+16430130
4Wings HC2213098259+23390000
5Åker/Strängnäs HC2211388485–1381110
6Väsby IK2210396566–1341002
7Haninge Anchors HC2292117288–16301100
8Enköpings SK2283115660–4292001
9Hammarby IF2283116064–4281200
10Tierps HK2256117080–10231311
11Vallentuna BK2256116481–17231410
12Värmdö HC22421656102–46140200

Source:

Hockeyettan West

#Team
1Västerviks IK2215438950+39512101
2Tranås AIF2215349764+33500120
3Vimmerby HC22134510061+39460130
4Skövde IK2213369360+33441011
5Mariestad BoIS2210487360+13361111
6Kumla HC Black Bulls229587363+10363011
7Borlänge HF2210488383±0360022
8Lindlövens IF2274117070±0260112
9IFK Arboga IK22631363102–39221101
10Surahammars IF2252154598–53180011
11Forshaga IF22361375106–31172400
12Grästorps IK2226145195–44142202

Source:

Hockeyettan South

#Team
1Kristianstads IK22171410072+28530010
2IK Pantern2214358251+31481020
3IF Troja/Ljungby2213549056+34462102
4Tingsryds AIF2214178551+34441000
5Nybro Vikings IF2210486766+1350310
6Kallinge-Ronneby IF2275105751+6301130
7Halmstad HF2284106563+2290211
8Varberg HK227696075–15291113
9Helsingborgs HC2255125973–14243011
10Mörrums GoIS IK2272135484–30230101
11HC Dalen2261155984–25190001
12Olofströms IK2235144799–52162201

Source:

AllEttan groups

AllEttan North

#Team
1IF Sundsvall Hockey1411303919+20370111
2Östersunds IK147524430+14302120
3Huddinge IK148334430+14281002
4Piteå HC146444733+14242200
5Hudiksvalls HC145364545±0190210
6Kalix UHC143293448–14121001
7Wings HC142393254–22101101
8Visby/Roma HK1421113359–2680010

AllEttan South

#Team
1IK Pantern149234422+22301001
2IF Troja/Ljungby147433724+13282011
3Tingsryds AIF145634135+6251131
4Västerviks IK145634135+6221104
5Kristianstads IK145363927+2201110
6Tranås AIF145362938–9190210
7Skövde IK142483148–17121111
8Vimmerby HC143293558–23120110

Continuation groups

Hockeyettan North continuation

#Team
1Örnsköldsvik HF129215825+33361100
2Kovlands IshF129124232+10300001
3Kiruna IF128045633+23290000
4Tegs SK124173435–1180010
5Vännäs HC123273755–18140200
6Sollefteå HK124083153–22120000
7SK Lejon121292752–2582000

Hockeyettan East continuation

#Team
1Åker/Strängnäs HC149236146+15371100
2Haninge Anchors HC148246845+23331010
3Enköpings SK148155352+1290100
4Tierps HK147165552+3251000
5Hammarby IF146173841–3220001
6Väsby IK145183852–14220100
7Värmdö HC146175254–2201000
8Vallentuna BK1421113962–2380100

Hockeyettan West continuation

#Team
1Mariestad BoIS149235128+23370011
2Kumla HC Black Bulls148244629+17342000
3Lindlövens IF148065047+3280000
4Borlänge HF146265039+11271010
5Grästorps IK147252933–4230200
6Forshaga IF147164046–6230001
7IFK Arboga IK143294957–8140101
8Surahammars IF1421112864–36100010

Hockeyettan South continuation

#Team
1Helsingborgs HC1412025128+23390000
2Kallinge-Ronneby IF1410136232+30381000
3Nybro Vikings IF146264742+5281001
4Halmstad HF146353836+2281110
5Varberg HK144374145–4190201
6HC Dalen144373239–7192010
7Mörrums GoIS IK145273341–8190101
8Olofströms IK1412113273–4160110

Playoffs

Teams 2–5 from the AllEttan groups and teams 1–2 from the continuation groups meet in a three-round playoff, each round best of three games. The two remaining teams at the end of the three playoff rounds join the AllEttan group winners in the HockeyAllsvenskan qualifiers.

Playoff 1

Östersund vs Kovland (2–0)

Huddinge vs Haninge (2–1)

Piteå vs Örnsköldsvik (2–0)

Hudiksvall vs Åker/Strängnäs (2–0)

Troja/Ljungby vs Kumla (2–0)

Tingsryd vs Kallinge-Ronneby (2–0)

Västervik vs Mariestad (2–0)

Kristianstad vs Helsingborg (2–1)

Playoff 2

Kristianstad vs Tingsryd (0–2)

Västervik vs Hudiksvall (2–0)

Huddinge vs Östersund (2–1)

Piteå vs Troja/Ljungby (0–2)

Playoff 3

Västervik vs Troja/Ljungby (2–1)

Huddinge vs Tingsryd (0–2)

Hockeyettan qualifiers

In the Hockeyettan qualifying groups, only the group winner was guaranteed a spot in the 2015–16 Hockeyettan season. Additional teams were to be selected by the Hockey Association to correct for re-alignment of teams, and for the promotion of Sundsvall, Tingsryd, and Pantern to HockeyAllsvenskan.
The result of the qualifiers was the promotion of Brunflo IK, AIK Hockey Härnösand, Sollentuna HC and Köping HC, and the relegation of Värmdö HC. The net gain of three clubs was due to the expansion of the SHL from 12 teams to 14, as well as the expansion of Hockeyettan North from 11 teams to 12.

Qualifier A

Qualifier A was contested by SK Lejon from Hockeyettan North and Brunflo IK, AIK Hockey Härnösand, and Bodens HF from Division 2. SK Lejon won the group and thereby secured a spot in Hockeyettan for the following season.
Hockeyettan North consisted of only 11 teams for the 2014–15 season rather than 12. This empty spot was to be filled for the following season. Furthermore, IF Sundsvall Hockey was promoted to HockeyAllsvenskan. These two vacancies were filled by Brunflo and Härnösand who finished 2nd and 3rd in this qualifier.
#Team
1SK Lejon64112215+7141000
2 Brunflo IK62312322+1100210
361322321+281011
4Bodens HF61141323–1040001

Source:

Qualifier B

won qualifying group B, and thereby secured continued play in Hockeyettan for the 2015–16 season. Värmdö HC finished 3rd and were relegated. Sollentuna HC from Division 2 finished second, and were promoted to Hockeyettan after Södertälje SK's relegation from HockeyAllsvenskan to Hockeyettan East was compensated by moving Enköpings SK to the western group.
#Team
1Vallentuna BK108024319+24240000
2 Sollentuna HC107034317+26210000
3 Värmdö HC105323824+14190111
4IFK Tumba IK104243633+3162000
5101273262–3070020
6Bålsta HC100371754–3730102

Source:

Qualifier C

re-qualified for Hockeyettan by winning qualifying group C. Off-season group re-alignment moved Västervik and Vimmerby to the southern group and brought in Enköping from the eastern group, resulting in a net addition of one spot in Hockeyettan West. This allowed second-place IFK Arboga IK to re-qualify and third-place Köping HC to be promoted to fill the vacancy.
#Team
1Surahammars IF108114117+24250100
2IFK Arboga IK107124627+19231000
3 Köping HC107124224+18231000
4Valbo HC103162940–11111000
5101272047–2750200
6Fagersta AIK100282447–2331100

Source:

Qualifier D

won the group and secured continued play in Hockeyettan for the 2015–16 season. The promotion of Tingsryd and Pantern to HockeyAllsvenskan was compensated by moving Västervik and Vimmerby to Hockeyettan South, resulting in zero net change for the southern group. This allowed Tyringe SoSS who finished second in the group to retain their spot.
#Team
1104513618+18224010
2Tyringe SoSS106313324+9221101
3Olofströms IK105232827+1170101
4Bäcken HC104242731–4150110
5Hanhals IF102262629–391100
6Alvesta SK100461839–2150211

Source: