View source for Inter-National League

{{Infobox sports league
| logo        =
| pixels      =
| caption     = Inter-National League
| current_season =
| sport       = Ice hockey
| founded     = 2012
| folded      = 2016
| teams       = 9 (in 2015-16)
| country     = {{AUT}}<br />{{Flagicon|SLO}} [[Slovenia]]<br>{{ITA}}
| champion    = [[EHC Bregenzerwald]] (2015–16)
| most_champs = EHC Bregenzerwald (2)
| ceo         = Dr. Dieter Kalt
| website     = [http://www.eishockey.at/inter-national-league Inter-National League]
}}

The '''Inter-National League''' was an international ice hockey league that was a partnership between the national federations of [[Austria]] and [[Slovenia]]. It was created as a solution to semi-professional hockey in both Austria and neighboring Slovenia. The league merged with the [[Serie A]] to become the [[Alps Hockey League]] in 2016.

==History==
The Inter-National League was founded on July 14, 2012 with seven teams joining the inaugural season. In Austria, seven out of 11 teams from last year’s second tier [[Austrian National League]] had left the league. Two teams, [[Dornbirner EC|Dornbirner]] and [[HC TWK Innsbruck|TWK Innsbruck]], were accepted into the [[Austrian Hockey League]] (also referred to as the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga due to sponsorship reasons.) <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/recap/7176.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=955&cHash=c4f36f608e | title = 
New Austro-Slovenian league: Inter-National-League to start one tier below EBEL | author = Martin Merk | language= | publisher = IIHF.com | date = July 14, 2012 | accessdate = September 6, 2012}}</ref> The remaining teams either folded or chose to play in lower local leagues.

[[HK Acroni Jesenice|Acroni Jesenice]] was confirmed to become an inaugural member. However, due to financial problems the team informed the league that they would be folding effective August 31, 2012 (two weeks before the start of the season.) <ref name="Eurohockey">{{cite web | url = http://www.eurohockey.com/article/1770-acroni-jesenice-withdraws-from-inter-national-league.html | title = Acroni Jesenice withdraws from Inter-National League| author=Davide Tuniz | language= | publisher = Eurohockey.com | date = August 31, 2012 | accessdate = September 6, 2012 }}</ref>

On June 8, 2013, the league's 2013–14 season was decided and it saw the league jump from six teams to 15. After the late fold of Acroni Jesenice, [[Team Jesenice]] will participate in the league this season as one of four new Slovenian clubs. The other three Slovenian newcomers are [[HK MK Bled|Bled]], [[HDK Maribor|Maribor]] and [[HK  Celje|Celje]]. The league also welcomed Italian sides [[SV Kaltern|SV Caldaro/Kaltern]], [[HC Eppan Pirates|Eppan Pirates]], [[HC Merano|Merano Junior]], [[HC Neumarkt-Egna|Neumarkt-Egna Wildgoose]] and [[HC Gherdëina|Gherdëina]]. For the 2013–14 season, the teams were allowed four imports (two U-22, and two with no age limit). These imports may not be exchanged between teams in the league.<ref name="newclubs">{{cite web | url = http://eurohockey.com/article/2681-the-new-inl-comes.html | title = The new INL comes| author=Davide Tuniz | language= | publisher = Eurohockey.com | date = June 8, 2012 | accessdate = June 8, 2012 }}</ref>

The Italian teams all withdrew after the 2013-14 season, as the Italian Federation mandated they join the country's national league, the [[Serie A]].
==Scheduling==
The inaugural INL season will start on September 15, 2012, while the last game in the regular season takes place on March 2, 2013. The INL playoffs semi-finals and finals are all played in best-of-five format. The fifth game of the playoffs final - if necessary - would be on the April 2, 2013.<ref name="Eurohockey">{{cite web | url = http://eurohockey.com/article/1693-new-inter-national-league-to-replace-austrian-nationalliga-and-slohokej.html | title = New Inter National League to replace Austrian Nationalliga and Slohokej| author=Davide Tuniz | language= | publisher = Eurohockey.com | date = July 16, 2012 | accessdate = September 6, 2012}}</ref>

The scheduling for the INL was designed to keep the travel costs at a minimum. Each time will play thirty-six games total in a set of six rounds (three home games, three away against all six opponents.) The league will feature a "double weekend", where opponents are played on back-to-back games during the weekend.<ref name="Eurohockey" />

==Scoring==
INL games will be scored with the "three-point rule": three points for the winner after regular time, two points if teams win at overtime or shootout, one for the loser after regular time.<ref name="Eurohockey" />

==Trades and transfers==
Transfers will be permitted during the season, but only if both teams reach an agreement.<ref name="Eurohockey" />

==Teams==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! style="background:lightgrey;width:14em" | Team
! style="background:lightgrey;width:10em" | City/area
! style="background:lightgrey;width:18em" | Arena
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4em" | Capacity
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4em" | Founded
|-
! style="background:#DDDDFF" colspan=5 | Former teams
|-
| '''[[HK MK Bled|Bled]]'''
| {{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Bled]]
| Bled Ice Hall
| align=center | 1,000
| align=center | 1999
|-
| '''[[EHC Bregenzerwald|Bregenzerwald]]'''
| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Bregenz Forest]]
| Alberschwerde
| align=center | 4,270
| align=center | 1985
|-
| '''[[HK Celje|Celje]]'''
| {{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Celje]]
| Golovec Ice Hall
| align=center | 500
| align=center | 1998
|-
| '''[[HC Eppan Pirates|Eppan Pirates]]'''
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Eppan an der Weinstraße|Eppan]]
| Eisstadion Eppan
| align=center | 1,400
| align=center | 1981
|-
| '''[[VEU Feldkirch|Feldkirch]]'''
| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Feldkirch, Vorarlberg|Feldkirch]]
| [[Vorarlberghalle]]
| align=center | 5,200
| align=center | 1945
|-
| '''[[HC Gherdëina|Gherdëina]]'''
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Sëlva]]
| Pranives Ice Stadium
| align=center | 2,000
| align=center | 1927
|-
| '''[[HDD Jesenice|Jesenice]]'''
| {{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Municipality of Jesenice|Jesenice]]
| [[Podmežakla Hall]]
| align=center | 4,500
| align=center | 2013
|-
| '''[[SV Kaltern|Kaltern]]'''
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Kaltern an der Weinstraße|Kaltern]]
| Palaghiaccio Kaltern
| align=center | 850
| align=center | 1962
|-
| '''[[EC Kitzbühel|Kitzbühel]]'''
| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Kitzbühel]]
| Sportpark Kapserbrucke
| align=center | 1,700
| align=center | 1910
|-
| '''[[Kapfenberg Steelers|KSV Eishockey]]'''
| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Kapfenberg]]
| Sportzentrum Kapfenberg
| align=center | 4,000
| align=center | 2015
|-
| '''[[EHC Lustenau|Lustenau]]'''
| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Lustenau]]
| Rheinhalle Lustenau
| align=center | 2,200
| align=center | 1970
|-
| '''[[HDK Maribor|Maribor]]'''
| {{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Maribor]]
| Tabor Ice Hall
| align=center | 1,000
| align=center | 1993
|-
| '''[[HC Merano|Merano]]'''
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Merano]]
| Meranarena
| align=center | 1,000
| align=center | 2001
|-
| '''[[HC Neumarkt-Egna|Neumarkt-Egna]]'''
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Neumarkt, South Tyrol|Neumarkt]]
| Würth Arena
| align=center | 3,500
| align=center | 1963
|-
| '''[[HK Slavija Ljubljana|Slavija]]'''
| {{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Ljubljana]]
| Zalog Ice Hall
| align=center | 1,000
| align=center | 1964
|-
| '''[[Kapfenberg Steelers]]'''
| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Kapfenberg]]
| Sportzentrum Kapfenberg
| align=center | 4,000
| align=center | 2014
|-
| '''[[HK Triglav Kranj|Triglav Kranj]]'''
| {{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Kranj]]
| Zlato Polje Ice Hall
| align=center | 1,000
| align=center | 1968
|-
| '''[[EK Zell am See|Zell am See]]'''
| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Zell am See]]
| Eishalle Zell am See
| align=center | 2,600
| align=center | 1928
|}

==Inter-National League seasons==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season
! Champions
! Runners-up
|-
! [[2012–13 Inter-National League season|2012–13]]
| '''[[EHC Bregenzerwald|Bregenzerwald]]'''
| [[HK Slavija Ljubljana|Slavija]]
|-
! [[2013–14 Inter-National League season|2013–14]]
| '''[[HC Neumarkt-Egna|Neumarkt-Egna]]'''
| [[EHC Bregenzerwald|Bregenzerwald]]
|-
! [[2014–15 Inter-National League season|2014–15]]
| '''[[EHC Lustenau|Lustenau]]'''
| [[VEU Feldkirch|Feldkirch]]
|-
! [[2015–16 Inter-National League season|2015–16]]
| '''[[EHC Bregenzerwald|Bregenzerwald]]'''
| [[EHC Lustenau|Lustenau]]
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.eishockey.at/inter-national-league/ Official site]
*[http://www.eliteprospects.com/league_home.php?leagueid=107 EliteProspects: Inter-National-League]

{{Euro Leagues}}
{{Wikipedia}}
[[Category:Ice hockey leagues]]