| 2023–24 EIHL season | |
| League | Elite Ice Hockey League |
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration |
|
| Number of matches | 330 |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Regular season | |
| Season champions | Sheffield Steelers |
| Season MVP | Matt Greenfield (Sheffield Steelers) |
| Top scorer |
|
| Challenge Cup | |
| Winners | Sheffield Steelers |
| Runners-up | Guildford Flames |
The 2023–24 EIHL season was the 20th anniversary season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The regular season commenced on 23 September 2023, and the final match day was on 7 April 2024; the playoff quarter-finals were held over the weekend of 14 April and the Playoff final weekend was held the following weekend.[1]
The Sheffield Steelers won their sixth league title – and first since 2015–16[2] – having opened up an unassailable 14-point lead over the Cardiff Devils with a 7–3 victory over the Guildford Flames on 24 March 2024. The Steelers had also won the Challenge Cup 11 days earlier, beating the Flames 3–1 in the final.[3] The Steelers ultimately completed their first Grand Slam in the EIHL era, defeating the Belfast Giants 3–1 in the playoff final.[4]
The season was marred by the death of Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson during a Challenge Cup match between the Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers,[5] held on 28 October, at the Sheffield Arena.[6] Johnson had suffered a cut to his neck by the blade of a skate,[7] and received emergency treatment on the ice before being transferred to the Northern General Hospital, but died from his injuries.[6] The EIHL postponed all scheduled matches for the following day, 29 October,[8] and subsequent matches on 31 October and 1 November were also postponed.[9][10] Teams returned to action on 4 November, with the exception of Sheffield and Nottingham,[10] who returned to the ice a week and two weeks later.
Teams[]
The same ten teams that competed in 2022–23 competed in the 2023–24 season.
| Team | City/Town | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast Giants |  Belfast
|
SSE Arena Belfast | 8,700 |
| Cardiff Devils |  Cardiff
|
Vindico Arena | 3,088 |
| Coventry Blaze |  Coventry
|
Coventry Skydome | 3,000 |
| Dundee Stars |  Dundee
|
Dundee Ice Arena | 2,400 |
| Fife Flyers | Kirkcaldy
|
Fife Ice Arena | 3,525 |
| Glasgow Clan | Glasgow
|
Braehead Arena | 4,000 |
| Guildford Flames | Guildford
|
Guildford Spectrum | 2,001 |
| Manchester Storm | Altrincham
|
Altrincham Ice Dome | 2,351 |
| Nottingham Panthers | Nottingham
|
Motorpoint Arena Nottingham | 7,500 |
| Sheffield Steelers | Sheffield
|
Utilita Arena Sheffield | 9,300 |
Regular season[]
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.[11] Points were awarded for each game, where 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 2024–25 Champions Hockey League. The top eight teams qualified for the playoffs.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers (C) | 54 | 39 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 228 | 113 | +115 | 91 | Regular season champions Qualification to playoffs |
| 2 | Cardiff Devils | 54 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 210 | 151 | +59 | 77 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 3 | Belfast Giants | 54 | 28 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 182 | 147 | +35 | 71 | |
| 4 | Manchester Storm | 54 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 20 | 142 | 154 | −12 | 61 | |
| 5 | Guildford Flames | 54 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 160 | 165 | −5 | 58 | |
| 6 | Coventry Blaze | 54 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 25 | 147 | 185 | −38 | 52 | |
| 7 | Dundee Stars | 54 | 16 | 6 | 7 | 25 | 169 | 198 | −29 | 51 | |
| 8 | Fife Flyers | 54 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 23 | 166 | 202 | −36 | 51 | |
| 9 | Nottingham Panthers | 54 | 15 | 6 | 8 | 25 | 165 | 195 | −30 | 50 | |
| 10 | Glasgow Clan | 54 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 24 | 175 | 234 | −59 | 49 |
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.
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.[12] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Balmas | Sheffield Steelers | 54 | 23 | 43 | 66 | +23 | 8 |
| Troy Lajeunesse | Fife Flyers | 52 | 28 | 32 | 60 | +1 | 26 |
| Ryan Valentini | Dundee Stars | 53 | 27 | 33 | 60 | –11 | 18 |
| Spencer Naas | Dundee Stars | 54 | 32 | 27 | 59 | +1 | 2 |
| Cole Sanford | Cardiff Devils | 54 | 29 | 29 | 58 | +13 | 56 |
| Patrick Watling | Sheffield Steelers | 53 | 22 | 36 | 58 | +27 | 16 |
| Gary Haden | Glasgow Clan | 54 | 27 | 29 | 56 | –25 | 30 |
| Marcus Crawford | Cardiff Devils | 54 | 4 | 51 | 55 | +25 | 70 |
| Marc-Olivier Vallerand | Sheffield Steelers | 49 | 24 | 29 | 53 | +27 | 38 |
| Kyle Osterberg | Fife Flyers | 47 | 22 | 31 | 53 | +2 | 28 |
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.[13]
| Player | Team(s) | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Greenfield | Sheffield Steelers | 47 | 2826:00 | 38 | 9 | 91 | 8 | 92.96% | 1.93 |
| Eamon McAdam | Guildford Flames | 30 | 1794:44 | 14 | 15 | 75 | 2 | 91.88% | 2.51 |
| Evan Weninger | Manchester Storm | 47 | 2795:17 | 23 | 23 | 118 | 3 | 92.93% | 2.53 |
| Ben Bowns | Cardiff Devils | 38 | 2257:12 | 25 | 12 | 97 | 5 | 92.38% | 2.58 |
| Tyler Beskorowany | Belfast Giants | 36 | 2049:28 | 21 | 14 | 96 | 1 | 89.39% | 2.81 |
Playoffs[]
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 (12–14 April) | Semi-finals (20 April) | Final (21 April) | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 9 | 4 | 13 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Fife Flyers | 4 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| 5 | Guildford Flames | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| 2 | Cardiff Devils | 4 | 3 | 7 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Dundee Stars | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Belfast Giants | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 3 | Belfast Giants | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Coventry Blaze | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Cardiff Devils | 1 | Third place | |||||||||||||
| 3 | Belfast Giants | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 4 | Manchester Storm | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Cardiff Devils | 7 | |||||||||
| 5 | Guildford Flames | 5 | 4 | 9 | 5 | Guildford Flames | 5 | |||||||||
Quarter-finals[]
The quarter-final schedule was announced on 7 April 2024, following the conclusion of the final-day regular season matches.[14]
(1) Sheffield Steelers vs. (8) Fife Flyers[]
| 12 April 2024 | Sheffield Steelers | 9–4 | Fife Flyers | IceSheffield | Recap | |||
| Mitchell Balmas (1) – 10:40 | First period | 17:14 – Troy Lajeunesse (1) | ||||||
|
Second period | 9:33 – Max Humitz (1) | ||||||
|
Third period |
| ||||||
| Matt Greenfield (22 shots / 18 saves) | Goalie stats | Shane Owen (35 shots / 26 saves) | ||||||
| 14 April 2024 | Fife Flyers | 1–4 | Sheffield Steelers | Fife Ice Arena | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period |
| ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | 9:24 – Marc-Olivier Vallerand (1) | ||||||
| Collin Shirley (2) – 14:27 | Third period | 19:12 – Brett Neumann (2) | ||||||
| Shane Owen (40 shots / 36 saves) | Goalie stats | Anthony Morrone (32 shots / 31 saves) | ||||||
| Sheffield Steelers win 13–5 on aggregate. | |
(2) Cardiff Devils vs. (7) Dundee Stars[]
| 13 April 2024 | Cardiff Devils | 4–2 | Dundee Stars | Ice Arena Wales | Recap | |||
| Sam Duggan (1) – 17:37 | First period | No scoring | ||||||
|
Second period |
| ||||||
| Tyler Busch (2) – 1:40 | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Ben Bowns (28 shots / 26 saves) | Goalie stats | Lucas Brine (33 shots / 29 saves) | ||||||
| 14 April 2024 | Dundee Stars | 2–3 | Cardiff Devils | Dundee Ice Arena | Recap | |||
| Spencer Naas (1) – 3:11 | First period | 6:09 – Jamie Arniel (1) | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | 19:21 – Justin Crandall (1) | ||||||
| Drydn Dow (1; PPG) – 18:14 | Third period | 1:27 – Jamie Arniel (2; SHG) | ||||||
| Lucas Brine (28 shots / 25 saves) | Goalie stats | Ben Bowns (52 shots / 50 saves) | ||||||
| Cardiff Devils win 7–4 on aggregate. | |
(3) Belfast Giants vs. (6) Coventry Blaze[]
| 13 April 2024 | Belfast Giants | 2–1 | Coventry Blaze | SSE Arena Belfast | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
|
Second period | 4:58 – Mitch Cook (1; PPG) | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Jackson Whistle (24 shots / 23 saves) | Goalie stats | Taran Kozun (36 shots / 34 saves) | ||||||
| 14 April 2024 | Coventry Blaze | 1–1 | Belfast Giants | Coventry Skydome | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | 6:43 – Daniel Tedesco (1) | ||||||
| Danny Kristo (1; EA) – 19:59 | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Taran Kozun (22 shots / 21 saves) | Goalie stats | Jackson Whistle (18 shots / 17 saves) | ||||||
| Belfast Giants win 3–2 on aggregate. | |
(4) Manchester Storm vs. (5) Guildford Flames[]
| 13 April 2024 | Manchester Storm | 1–5 | Guildford Flames | Altrincham Ice Dome | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period |
| ||||||
| No scoring | Second period |
| ||||||
| Mitchell Martan (1) – 7:51 | Third period | 2:08 – Ryan Tait (1) | ||||||
| Evan Weninger (34 shots / 29 saves) | Goalie stats | Taz Burman (37 shots / 36 saves) | ||||||
| 14 April 2024 | Guildford Flames | 4–0 | Manchester Storm | Guildford Spectrum | Recap | |||
| Nicolas Ouellet (1) – 0:16 | First period | No scoring | ||||||
|
Second period | No scoring | ||||||
| Ryan Tait (3; PPG) – 7:51 | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Taz Burman (20 shots / 20 saves) | Goalie stats | Evan Weninger (47 shots / 43 saves) | ||||||
| Guildford Flames win 9–1 on aggregate. | |
Semi-finals[]
Following the conclusion of the quarter-final matchups, the schedule for the Finals weekend was confirmed.
| 20 April 2024 15:00 |
Sheffield Steelers | 6–3 (1–0, 0–1, 5–2) |
Guildford Flames | Nottingham Arena |
| Game reference | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Greenfield | Goalies | Taz Burman | Referees: Chris Wells Andy Dalton | |
| Josh Nicholls (1; PPG) – 19:42 / Brien Diffley (1) – 44:36 / Mitchell Balmas (3) – 49:37 / Brandon Whistle (2) – 54:26 / Daniel Ciampini (1) – 55:45 / Scott Allen (1; ENG) – 59:00 | 1–0 / 1–1 / 1–2 / 2–2 / 3–2 / 3–3 / 4–3 / 5–3 / 6–3 | 28:10 – Jordan Klimek (1) / 43:21 – Matt Alvaro (1) / 52:35 – Steven McParland (2) | ||
| 8 min | Penalties | 8 min | ||
| 40 | Shots | 25 | ||
| 20 April 2024 19:00 |
Cardiff Devils | 1–2 (OT) (0–0, 0–1, 1–0, 0–1) |
Belfast Giants | Nottingham Arena |
| Game reference | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Bowns | Goalies | Jackson Whistle | Referees: Tom Pering David Good | |
| Cody Donaghey (1; PPG) – 56:44 | 0–1 / 1–1 / 1–2 | 38:57 – Blake Speers (1) / 68:05 – Greg Printz (1) | ||
| 4 min | Penalties | 6 min | ||
| 21 | Shots | 36 | ||
Third-place match[]
| 21 April 2024 13:00 |
Cardiff Devils | 7–5 (1–1, 4–1, 2–3) |
Guildford Flames | Nottingham Arena |
| Game reference | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Wall | Goalies | Adam Long | Referees: Dean Smith Graham Rodger | |
| Sam Duggan (2) – 11:22 / Cole Sanford – 21:48 / Cole Ully – 22:13 / Tyler Busch (3) – 29:06 / Cody Donaghey (2) – 33:54 / Riley Brandt (1) – 44:46 / Joey Martin (1) – 55:28 | 1–0 / 1–1 / 2–1 / 3–1 / 3–2 / 4–2 / 5–2 / 6–2 / 6–3 / 6–4 / 7–4 / 7–5 | 15:48 – Nicolas Ouellet (2) / 25:09 – Ryan Tait (4) / 47:16 – Lewis Hook (1) / 49:33 – Nicolas Ouellet (3) / 57:58 – Turner Ripplinger (1) | ||
| 2 min | Penalties | 0 min | ||
| 37 | Shots | 35 | ||
Final[]
| 21 April 2024 17:00 |
Sheffield Steelers | 3–1 (2–0, 0–1, 1–0) |
Belfast Giants | Nottingham Arena |
| Game reference | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Greenfield | Goalies | Jackson Whistle | Referees: Tom Pering Andy Dalton | |
| Daniel Ciampini (2; PPG) – 15:49 / Mikko Juusola (3; PPG) – 16:24 / Kevin Tansey (2; ENG) – 58:57 | 1–0 / 2–0 / 2–1 / 3–1 | 39:52 – Blake Speers (2; PPG) | ||
| 10 min | Penalties | 7 min | ||
| 30 | Shots | 30 | ||
Statistics[]
Scoring leaders[]
The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the playoffs.[15] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Tait | Guildford Flames | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | +1 | 0 |
| Mitchell Balmas | Sheffield Steelers | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | +2 | 0 |
| Steven McParland | Guildford Flames | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | +5 | 0 |
| Scott Allen | Sheffield Steelers | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | +6 | 2 |
| Josh Nicholls | Sheffield Steelers | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | +3 | 0 |
| Mikko Juusola | Sheffield Steelers | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | +3 | 2 |
| Nicolas Ouellet | Guildford Flames | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | +3 | 2 |
| Jamie Arniel | Cardiff Devils | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Daniel Ciampini | Sheffield Steelers | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +3 | 4 |
| Sam Jones | Sheffield Steelers | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | +4 | 0 |
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.[16]
| Player | Team(s) | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Whistle | Belfast Giants | 4 | 246:22 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 94.57% | 1.22 |
| Taran Kozun | Coventry Blaze | 2 | 117:58 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 94.92% | 1.53 |
| Ben Bowns | Cardiff Devils | 3 | 188:05 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 94.83% | 1.91 |
| Taz Burman | Guildford Flames | 3 | 177:39 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 93.75% | 2.03 |
| Matt Greenfield | Sheffield Steelers | 3 | 180:00 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 89.61% | 2.67 |
Challenge Cup[]
The Challenge Cup was split into two stages: an initial group stage where the league's ten teams were divided into three groups based on geographical distance – one group of four teams (Group A) and two groups of three teams (Groups B and C). The three group winners, along with the five best remaining teams on win percentage qualified for the knockout stage. The quarter-finals and semi-finals were held over two legs, with a one-off final.[17]
Group stage[]
Group A[]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast Giants | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 11 | +16 | 12 | Qualification to knockout stage |
| 2 | Fife Flyers | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 18 | +1 | 6 | |
| 3 | Glasgow Clan | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 21 | −6 | 4 | |
| 4 | Dundee Stars | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 26 | −11 | 2 |
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.
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[]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff Devils | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 12 | Qualification to knockout stage |
| 2 | Guildford Flames | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 31 | −5 | 8 | |
| 3 | Coventry Blaze | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 27 | −9 | 5 |
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.
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 C[]
Following the death of Adam Johnson, the Nottingham Panthers withdrew from the Challenge Cup on 8 November 2023.[18] The game between the Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham, which was being led 2–1 by Sheffield at the time of its abandonment, was not considered in the standings or for potential tie-breaking scenarios between Sheffield and the Belfast Giants.[19]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 8 | +22 | 12 | Qualification to knockout stage |
| 2 | Manchester Storm | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 28 | −12 | 2 | |
| 3 | Nottingham Panthers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 19 | −10 | 2 | Withdrew from the competition |
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.
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[]
| Quarter-finals (December 2023) | Semi-finals (January & February 2024) | Final (13 March 2024)[20] | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 5 | 5 | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| 8 | Manchester Storm | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 6 | 4 | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| 7 | Coventry Blaze | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 2 | Belfast Giants | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| 7 | Coventry Blaze | 1 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Guildford Flames | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cardiff Devils | 4 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| 6 | Glasgow Clan | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| 5 | Guildford Flames | 0 | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| 6 | Glasgow Clan | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| 4 | Fife Flyers | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| 5 | Guildford Flames | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
Quarter-finals[]
Following the conclusion of the league phase of the Challenge Cup, the quarter-final matchups (except for Belfast–Coventry) were determined on 29 November 2023.[21] The Belfast–Coventry game dates were confirmed two days later.[22]
(1) Sheffield Steelers vs. (8) Manchester Storm[]
| 7 December 2023 | Manchester Storm | 1–5 | Sheffield Steelers | Altrincham Ice Dome | Recap | |||
| Michael Korol – 6:46 | First period | 19:59 – Robert Dowd (PPG) | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period |
| ||||||
| No scoring | Third period |
| ||||||
| Evan Weninger (38 shots / 33 saves) | Goalie stats | Anthony Morrone (38 shots / 37 saves) | ||||||
| 20 December 2023 | Sheffield Steelers | 5–1 | Manchester Storm | Sheffield Arena | Recap | |||
|
First period | No scoring | ||||||
| Brandon Whistle – 8:10 | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
| Brett Neumann (PPG) – 16:49 | Third period | 6:12 – Tyler Hinam | ||||||
| Anthony Morrone (27 shots / 26 saves) | Goalie stats | Alex Oldale (39 shots / 34 saves) | ||||||
| Sheffield Steelers win 10–2 on aggregate. | |
(2) Belfast Giants vs. (7) Coventry Blaze[]
| 13 December 2023 | Coventry Blaze | 1–1 | Belfast Giants | Coventry Skydome | Recap | |||
| Kim Tallberg – 10:55 | First period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | 2:45 – Matthew McLeod | ||||||
| Taran Kozun (32 shots / 31 saves) | Goalie stats | Tyler Beskorowany (27 shots / 26 saves) | ||||||
| 20 December 2023 | Belfast Giants | 4–5 | SO | Coventry Blaze | SSE Arena | Recap | ||
| Ara Nazarian – 16:26 | First period | No scoring | ||||||
| Henrik Eriksson – 13:23 | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
|
Third period |
| ||||||
|
Shootout |
| ||||||
| Tyler Beskorowany (17 shots / 13 saves) | Goalie stats | Taran Kozun (40 shots / 36 saves) | ||||||
| Coventry Blaze win 6–5 on aggregate. | |
(3) Cardiff Devils vs. (6) Glasgow Clan[]
| 6 December 2023 | Glasgow Clan | 3–4 | Cardiff Devils | Braehead Arena | Recap | |||
|
First period | 0:43 – Brandon Alderson | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period |
| ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | 8:36 – Trevor Cox (2) | ||||||
| Antti Karjalainen (27 shots / 23 saves) | Goalie stats | Tyler Wall (37 shots / 34 saves) | ||||||
| 13 December 2023 | Cardiff Devils | 1–3 | Glasgow Clan | Ice Arena Wales | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period |
| ||||||
| Josh Waller – 7:41 | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | 2:01 – Darien Craighead | ||||||
| Ben Bowns (29 shots / 26 saves) | Goalie stats | Jake Kielly (36 shots / 35 saves) | ||||||
| Glasgow Clan win 6–5 on aggregate. | |
(4) Fife Flyers vs. (5) Guildford Flames[]
| 6 December 2023 | Fife Flyers | 1–3 | Guildford Flames | Fife Ice Arena | Recap | |||
| Max Humitz – 11:29 | First period |
| ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | 15:26 – Peter Crinella (2) | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Shane Owen (42 shots / 39 saves) | Goalie stats | Eamon McAdam (27 shots / 26 saves) | ||||||
| 13 December 2023 | Guildford Flames | 3–2 | Fife Flyers | Guildford Spectrum | Recap | |||
|
First period | No scoring | ||||||
| Austin Glover – 13:00 | Second period | 14:15 – Kyle Osterberg | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | 10:09 – Vitalijs Pavlovs (PPG) | ||||||
| Eamon McAdam (28 shots / 26 saves) | Goalie stats | Shane Owen (38 shots / 35 saves) | ||||||
| Guildford Flames win 6–3 on aggregate. | |
Semi-finals[]
The game dates for the Sheffield–Coventry matchup were confirmed on 21 December 2023, with the Guildford–Glasgow matchup dates not confirmed until 4 January 2024.[23][24]
(1) Sheffield Steelers vs. (7) Coventry Blaze[]
| 24 January 2024 | Coventry Blaze | 0–6 | Sheffield Steelers | Coventry Skydome | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period |
| ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | 9:51 – Scott Allen (2) | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Taran Kozun (32 shots / 26 saves) | Goalie stats | Matt Greenfield (31 shots / 31 saves) | ||||||
| 31 January 2024 | Sheffield Steelers | 4–1 | Coventry Blaze | Sheffield Arena | Recap | |||
|
First period | No scoring | ||||||
|
Second period | 14:39 – Danny Kristo | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Anthony Morrone (14 shots / 13 saves) | Goalie stats | Nolan Kent (32 shots / 28 saves) | ||||||
| Sheffield Steelers win 10–1 on aggregate. | |
(5) Guildford Flames vs. (6) Glasgow Clan[]
| 20 January 2024 | Glasgow Clan | 0–0 | Guildford Flames | Braehead Arena | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Antti Karjalainen (19 shots / 19 saves) | Goalie stats | Eamon McAdam (24 shots / 24 saves) | ||||||
| 7 February 2024 | Guildford Flames | 6–3 | Glasgow Clan | Guildford Spectrum | Recap | |||
|
First period | 15:34 – Luke Lynch | ||||||
|
Second period | 17:05 – Luke Lynch (2) | ||||||
|
Third period | 7:44 – Alex Roach | ||||||
| Eamon McAdam (30 shots / 27 saves) | Goalie stats | Kevin Lindskoug (34 shots / 29 saves) | ||||||
| Guildford Flames win 6–3 on aggregate. | |
Final[]
As number 1 seeds, the Sheffield Steelers hosted the final on 13 March, at Sheffield Arena.[20]
| 13 March 2024 19:30 |
Sheffield Steelers | 3–1 (2–1, 1–0, 0–0) |
Guildford Flames | Sheffield Arena |
| Game reference | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Greenfield | Goalies | Taz Burman | Referees: Andy Dalton David Good | |
| Brien Diffley – 2:00 / Patrick Watling (PPG) – 19:41 / Mitchell Balmas – 24:35 | 1–0 / 1–1 / 2–1 / 3–1 | 13:48 – Bradley Lalonde | ||
| 4 min | Penalties | 4 min | ||
| 17 | Shots | 35 | ||
Statistics[]
Scoring leaders[]
The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the Challenge Cup.[25] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Balmas | Sheffield Steelers | 12 | 6 | 11 | 17 | +7 | 4 |
| Patrick Watling | Sheffield Steelers | 12 | 5 | 10 | 15 | +11 | 2 |
| Ryan Tait | Guildford Flames | 13 | 9 | 5 | 14 | +3 | 2 |
| Marc-Olivier Vallerand | Sheffield Steelers | 11 | 6 | 8 | 14 | +9 | 2 |
| Daniel Ciampini | Sheffield Steelers | 12 | 4 | 9 | 13 | +7 | 10 |
| Trevor Cox | Cardiff Devils | 10 | 6 | 6 | 12 | +8 | 4 |
| Marcus Crawford | Cardiff Devils | 10 | 1 | 11 | 12 | +10 | 12 |
| Peter Crinella | Guildford Flames | 13 | 8 | 3 | 11 | +3 | 4 |
| Mark Cooper | Belfast Giants | 7 | 4 | 7 | 11 | +5 | 2 |
| Mikko Juusola | Sheffield Steelers | 12 | 0 | 11 | 11 | +9 | 6 |
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.[26]
| Player | Team(s) | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Morrone | Sheffield Steelers | 8 | 453:47[lower-alpha 1] | 8 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 94.47% | 1.45 |
| Tyler Beskorowany | Belfast Giants | 6 | 354:23 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 90.77% | 2.03 |
| Ben Bowns | Cardiff Devils | 6 | 342:27 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 92.40% | 2.28 |
| Eamon McAdam | Guildford Flames | 6 | 341:01 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 91.03% | 2.29 |
| Jake Kielly | Glasgow Clan | 6[lower-alpha 2] | 329:45 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 92.74% | 2.37 |
Notes[]
- ↑ Gamecentre (en).
- ↑ "Steelers win 2023/24 Elite League title!", Elite Ice Hockey League, Pendulum Management, 24 March 2024. Retrieved on 24 March 2024.
- ↑ Harrison, Phil. "Sheffield Steelers 3 Guildford Flames 1 - Steelers up and running as they secure first piece of silverware in Challenge Cup", The Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Post Newspapers, 13 March 2024. Retrieved on 24 March 2024.
- ↑ "Steelers complete season Grand Slam with play-off win", BBC Sport, BBC, 21 April 2024. Retrieved on 21 April 2024.
- ↑ "Adam Johnson: Nottingham Panthers forward dies after neck cut in Challenge Cup match", BBC Sport, BBC, 29 October 2023. Retrieved on 29 October 2023.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Adam Johnson: Nottingham Panthers player dies after 'freak accident' in ice hockey match against Sheffield Steelers", Sky Sports, Sky UK, 29 October 2023. Retrieved on 29 October 2023.
- ↑ Morgan, Tom. "Adam Johnson: Nottingham Panthers ice hockey player dies after throat cut by opponent's blade", The Daily Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 29 October 2023. Retrieved on 29 October 2023.
- ↑ "EIHL Statement: Adam Johnson", Elite Ice Hockey League, Pendulum Management, 29 October 2023. Retrieved on 29 October 2023.
- ↑ "Club Statement: Upcoming fixtures", Nottingham Panthers, Nottingham Panthers Limited, 29 October 2023. Retrieved on 29 October 2023.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Adam Johnson: Elite League postpones midweek games after death of Nottingham Panthers forward", BBC Sport, BBC, 31 October 2023. Retrieved on 1 November 2023.
- ↑ Elite League Info. Nottingham Panthers. Nottingham Panthers Limited. Retrieved on 30 October 2022.
- ↑ Statistics: Players - Elite Ice Hockey League 2023/2024. Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. Retrieved on 7 April 2024.
- ↑ Statistics: Goalies - Elite Ice Hockey League 2023/2024. Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. Retrieved on 7 April 2024.
- ↑ "Line-up set for Playoff Quarter-Finals", Elite Ice Hockey League, Pendulum Management, 7 April 2024. Retrieved on 7 April 2024.
- ↑ Statistics: Players - Elite Ice Hockey League 2023/2024 - Playoffs. Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. Retrieved on 21 April 2024.
- ↑ Statistics: Goalies - Elite Ice Hockey League 2023/2024 - Playoffs. Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. Retrieved on 21 April 2024.
- ↑ "2023/24 Challenge Cup Format", 29 June 2023. Retrieved on 23 September 2023.
- ↑ "Eight-time winners Nottingham Panthers withdraw from Challenge Cup after Adam Johnson death", ITV News, ITV plc, 9 November 2023. Retrieved on 10 November 2023.
- ↑ "Tie-breaking in the Challenge Cup", Elite Ice Hockey League, Pendulum Management, 22 November 2023. Retrieved on 25 November 2023.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Challenge Cup Final on 13 March in Sheffield", Elite Ice Hockey League, Pendulum Management, 31 January 2024. Retrieved on 31 January 2024.
- ↑ "Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals set", Elite Ice Hockey League, Pendulum Management, 29 November 2023. Retrieved on 2 December 2023.
- ↑ "Challenge Cup Quarter Final Dates Confirmed", 1 December 2023. Retrieved on 2 December 2023.
- ↑ "Semi Final Dates Confirmed Vs Coventry Blaze", 21 December 2023. Retrieved on 4 January 2024.
- ↑ "Flames vs. Clan Cup SFs scheduled", Elite Ice Hockey League, Pendulum Management, 4 January 2024. Retrieved on 4 January 2024.
- ↑ Statistics: Players - Challenge Cup 2023/2024. Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. Retrieved on 13 March 2024.
- ↑ Statistics: Goalies - Challenge Cup 2023/2024. Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. Retrieved on 13 March 2024.
- ↑ The Nottingham Panthers [@PanthersIHC] (28 October 2023). 33:47 - The game is stopped for a bad injury. Steelers 2 Panthers 1.
- ↑ "Report: Dundee Stars 6 Glasgow Clan 2", 12 November 2023. Retrieved on 7 December 2023. “James Phelan then doubled Dundee's lead almost instantly with a slot drive and back hand finish before Jake Kielly replaced Karjalainen in the Clan net.”
- ↑ Dundee Stars 6:2 Glasgow Clan - Official Gamesheet (12 November 2023). Retrieved on 7 December 2023.
References[]
External links[]
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