Title Decided This Weekend
Three Contenders Into The Final Weekend
The 2024/25 Elite League title race is set up for a thrilling finale with three teams still in contention ahead of the final weekend.
With two games remaining this weekend, Belfast lead the way on 76 points, then Sheffield one point back, followed by Nottingham who are four points behind first place.
The grandstand finish is anticipated even more so with two contenders, Belfast and Nottingham, facing each other twice. Saturday sees the first of the final weekend series at The SSE Arena, Belfast, face-off 7pm, before the teams travel to the Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham on Sunday at 5:30pm.
The Sheffield Steelers host the fourth placed Cardiff Devils and visit the fifth placed Coventry Blaze on Saturday (7pm) and Sunday (5:30pm) respectively.
Ahead of a weekend of twists, turns, tiebreakers and a title - here is your guide for the path to the 2024/25 Elite League Champion;
Belfast Giants
As It Stands
1st Place / 52 Games Played / 76 Points
Remaining Games
Saturday 5th April - 7pm
vs Nottingham Panthers at The SSE Arena, Belfast.
Sunday 6th April - 5:30pm
vs Nottingham Panthers at Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham.
How can they win the title?
Simply put, two wins will clinch the Elite League title for Belfast. They currently lead by one point and so, defeating Nottingham twice would guarantee the Steelers and Panthers could no longer match a Giants points total of 80.
The Giants can win the title as early as Saturday. That would occur with a home win over Nottingham combined with a Sheffield home defeat in regulation to Cardiff. In that case, both Steelers & Panthers could no longer match a Giants points total of 78.
Regardless of the Belfast vs Nottingham result, the title race will go to the final day of the season on Sunday if Sheffield defeat Cardiff or take a point from a loss in overtime/penalty shootout.
A Saturday defeat for Belfast does not put them out of contention. However, the result of Sheffield’s game will determine whether the Giants are still the leaders, or the chasers, going into Sunday’s final day of action.
Sheffield Steelers
As It Stands
2nd Place / 52 Games Played / 75 Points
Remaining Games
Saturday 5th April - 7pm
vs Cardiff Devils at Utilita Arena, Sheffield
Sunday 6th April - 5:30pm
vs Coventry Blaze at SkyDome, Coventry
How can they win the title?
Sheffield, trailing by a point, need to better the Giants points tally this weekend.
Importantly they hold a better record in regulation wins, the first tiebreaker, by 33 to 31. So, if both teams were tied on points after the weekends’ games then Sheffield would win the title by virtue of having won more games in regulation than Belfast.
If Sheffield pick up one point on Saturday, from overtime/penalty shootout, then the title race will go to Sunday, regardless of the Belfast vs Nottingham result.
Two defeats in regulation would eliminate the Steelers from contention.
Nottingham Panthers
As It Stands
3rd Place / 52 Games Played / 72 Points
Remaining Games
Saturday 5th April - 7pm
vs Belfast Giants at The SSE Arena, Belfast.
Sunday 6th April - 5:30pm
vs Belfast Giants at Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham.
How can they win the title?
Panthers need two wins in regulation time combined with two Steelers defeats, also in regulation time.
Defeating Belfast twice in regulation and Sheffield losing twice in regulation would see Nottingham reach 76 points, one point ahead of the Steelers tied with the Giants, and win the title on the first tiebreak of regulation wins (32 to 31).
No other sequence of results would see Nottingham win the title. If either Belfast or Sheffield pickup at least one point this weekend, then the Panthers will be eliminated from title contention.
Tie Breaking Criteria
As a reminder - here is the Elite League’s tie breaking criteria, used when teams are equal on points at the end of the season. If needed, the following will be used to determine the final league ranking;
i. Total number of points.
ii. Total number of games won in regulation time.
iii. Total number of all games won (regulation, overtime and penalties).
iv. The results of games played between the relevant teams by applying points won, games won in regulation time, all games won (regulation time/overtime/penalties), in that order of priority.
v. Fewest regulation losses.
vi. Using away games: – points won, games won in regulation time, all games won (regulation time/overtime/penalties), in that order of priority.
vii. Goals scored.
viii. Goal Difference
ix. Fewest Penalty Minutes (Fair Play)
x. In the unlikely event of teams still being equal, teams will be ranked by the drawing of lots. Any prize monies determined by the position in a league or group by this means will be shared equally by the tying teams.
xi. Where a group of two or more teams is tied, then whenever a team can be eliminated due to the above order of priority, it shall be, by applying each of the above stages in order of such priority.
