1st Czech Republic Hockey League
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Country |  Czech Republic |
| Most recent champion(s) | BK Mladá Boleslav |
| Official website | http://www.hokejportal.cz/1-hokejova-liga/ |
The 1. Národní Hokejová Liga (first national hockey league) is the second-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic under the Extraliga. It began in 1993.
Format in 2008-09 season
In the first phase, every team plays each other twice, which makes for a 30 game section of the regular season. The thirty game phase will allow each team to play one home game against each team, which also allows every team to play one road game in every opposing team's arena. After the first thirty game phase, every team that ends on an even ranking (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.) will play each other and every team with an odd ranking (1, 3, 5, 7, etc.) will play each other. Like the first phase, each team will get a home game, which allows for eight home games and one road game against every team (eight total). At the end of this phase of the schedule, each team will have played 46 total games.
In the end of their 46 game regular season, the teams are seeded for the playoffs. All teams ranked fifth through twelfth will play a best of five preliminary round. The top four teams receive a bye and are directed seeded into the quarterfinal round, keeping their same regular season rank. The remaining rounds (quarterfinal, semifinal and final) are played as best of seven series. The winner of the Finals plays with last placed team of Extraliga in a best of seven series. The winner of this series is promoted to Extraliga for the following season.
Teams ranked thirteen through sixteen will continue to play. Every team plays each other four times, with the bottom two teams (ranked fifteen and sixteen) being directly relegated to the 2. Národní Hokejová Liga.
Three points are awarded for a win in regular time, and two points for an overtime victory, while the defeated team in overtime gets one point. If necessary, penalty shots are used to decide games after overtime.
Previous formats
In the 2007-08 format, 16 teams were involved in a East and an West division. Prior to the 2007-08 season, only 14 teams participated.
2009-10 teams
Champions
- 1994 Vsetínská hokejová and HC Slavia Praha
- 1995 HC Kometa Brno and TZ Třinec
- 1996 HC Přerov and HC Opava
- 1997 HC Karlovy Vary and HC Kralupy nad Vltavou
- 1998 HC Znojemští Orli
- 1999 HC Znojemští Orli
- 2000 HC Dukla Jihlava
- 2001 KLH Chomutov
- 2002 HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
- 2003 HC Vagnerplast Kladno
- 2004 HC Dukla Jihlava
- 2005 HC České Budějovice
- 2006 HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem
- 2007 HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem
- 2008 BK Mladá Boleslav
- 2009 HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi
External links
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