5000th Elite League game this weekend

Elite League clocks up its own milestone

Saturday 28 September will see the 5000th live game take place during the Elite Ice Hockey League era.

Thanks to the recording keeping since 2003 by Ronnie Nichol & Jim Lydon, we were able to calculate exactly how many games had been played up until the end of the 2018/19 season. This includes: League, Challenge Cup, Knockout Cup, Playoffs, and the Crossover Cup (counting games only where an Elite League team was playing). Any games that counted for double points (i.e. Cup and League) are counted only once, as the game physically only took place the one time.

Prior to the beginning of this season, 4,965 live games had been played since the Elite League's opening night on 12 September 2003, when Sheffield Steelers beat London Racers 6-1. 

With all of Saturday's games set to begin at 1900, game number #5000 will be whichever match's opening face-off drops the puck fourth on the night!

Some numbers so far

Excluding games played at neutral venues, home teams have won 56.81% of all games. Away teams took wins in 40.39%, while 2.80% of games ended in draws.

The biggest home win was Sheffield's 18-1 victory over Edinburgh on 15 January 2011. The biggest away win to date was Cardiff winning 12-1 in Edinburgh on 13 February 2011. The most goals in one game, outside of playoffs, was 22 (Edinburgh 9-13 Manchester on 7 February 2016)!