2015–16 National League B season

The 2015–16 National League B season was the 69th ice hockey season of Switzerland's second tier hockey league, the National League B.

2015–16 National League B season
League	National League B
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	September 11, 2015 – February 13, 2016
Number of games	45
Number of teams	10
Regular Season
Season Champions	SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Top scorer	Philip-Michael Devos (HC Ajoie)
Playoffs
Semi-Final champions	SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Semi-Final runners-up	HC Red Ice
Semi-Final champions	HC Ajoie
Semi-Final runners-up	EHC Olten
Swiss champion NLB
Champions	HC Ajoie
Runners-up	SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers

HC Ajoie went on to win the championship by defeating SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in the finals. This title is the team's second in its history since 1992 when they won their first National League B championship.

Teams

HC Ajoie

HC La Chaux-de-Fonds

GCK Lions

SC Langenthal

EHC Olten

SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers

HC Red Ice

Hockey Thurgau

EHC Visp

EHC Winterthur

National League B teams for the 2015–16 season

Team	City	Arena	Capacity
HC Ajoie	Porrentruy	Patinoire de Porrentruy	4,300
HC La Chaux-de-Fonds	La Chaux-de-Fonds	Patinoire des Mélèzes	7,200
GCK Lions	Küsnacht	Eishalle Küsnacht	2,200
SC Langenthal	Langenthal	Schoren Halle	4,320
EHC Olten	Olten	Kleinholz Stadion	6,500
SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers	Rapperswil	Diners Club Arena	6,200
HC Red Ice	Martigny	Forum d'Octodure	4,500
Hockey Thurgau	Weinfelden	Güttingersreuti	3,200
EHC Visp	Visp	Litternahalle	4,300
EHC Winterthur	Winterthur	Eishalle Deutweg	2,496

Regular season

The regular season started on September 11, 2015 and ended on February 13, 2016.[1]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers	45	27	6	2	10	162	105	+57	95	Advance to Playoffs
2	SC Langenthal	45	26	3	6	10	164	122	+42	90
3	EHC Olten	45	22	6	8	9	178	124	+54	86
4	HC La Chaux-de-Fonds	45	23	6	2	14	157	125	+32	83
5	HC Ajoie	45	24	2	2	17	171	131	+40	78
6	EHC Visp	45	18	4	5	18	164	161	+3	67
7	HC Red Ice	45	17	3	4	21	113	128	−15	61
8	Hockey Thurgau	45	14	4	2	25	124	164	−40	52
9	GCK Lions	45	11	2	2	30	107	183	−76	39
10	EHC Winterthur	45	6	1	4	34	99	196	−97	24

Updated to match(es) played on 16 February 2016. Source: National League B
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) a higher number of wins in the regular time; 3) a higher number of wins in overtime and shootouts; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots.

Playoffs

The playoffs started on February 16, 2016 and ended on April 1, 2016.[2]

	Quarter-Finals					Semi-Finals					Finals
	1	SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers	4
	8	Hockey Thurgau	3
						1	SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers	4
						7	HC Red Ice	0
	2	SC Langenthal	2
	7	HC Red Ice	4
		(Pairings are re-seeded after the first round)									1	SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers	2
											5	HC Ajoie	4
	3	EHC Olten	4
	6	EHC Visp	3
						3	EHC Olten	2
						5	HC Ajoie	4
	4	HC La Chaux-de-Fonds	2
	5	HC Ajoie	4

League Qualification

In League Qualification series HC Ajoie were supposed to play against EHC Biel, but the series were cancelled after HC Ajoie have not handed in their application for a promotion to next year's NLA season.[3][4][5]

References

1. "Spielpläne NLA und NLB bekannt". hockeyfans.ch. June 11, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
2. "Playoffs 2016" (PDF). SIHF. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
3. "HC Ajoie claims 2016 NLB Championship title and cancels League Qualification Series". swisshockeynews.ch. April 1, 2016. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
4. "Der HC Ajoie ist NLB-Meister!" (in German). Hockeyfans.ch. April 1, 2016. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
5. "Der HC Ajoie ist NL B Meister 2016" (in German). SIHF. April 2, 2016. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

External links

• National League B official website (in German)
• National League B official website (in French)