The 2008–09 EIHL season was the sixth season

Season (sports)

In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

 of the Elite Ice Hockey League

Elite Ice Hockey League

Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2006–07, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other...

. It began in September 2008 and ran through to April 2009. The ten clubs in the League competed for 4 different competitions: the Elite League, the Play-Offs, the Challenge Cup, and the Knockout Cup. The winners of the regular season will compete in the 2009–2010 Champions Hockey League. For this season, the Coventry Blaze represented Great Britain in the Continental Cup.

Charity Shield

The season began on September 3, 2008 with a "Charity Shield" game between the 2007–08

2007–08 EIHL season

The 2007–08 Elite Ice Hockey League season began September 5, 2007 and ran until April 6, 2008. It was the fifth season of Elite League competition.The defending league champions were the Coventry Blaze, who were also the holders of the Challenge Cup...

 league champions

British ice hockey league champions

The British ice hockey league champions are the winners of the highest ice hockey league in the United Kingdom, currently the Elite Ice Hockey League...

 and Knockout Cup

British Knockout Cup

The British Knockout Cup is an Elite Ice Hockey League competition originally created to fill the void left by the demise of the London Racers in the 2005-06 season. The first winners of the cup were the Sheffield Steelers who defeated the Coventry Blaze on penalty shots in the final.The format was...

 winning Coventry Blaze

Coventry Blaze

Coventry Blaze are an ice hockey team based in Coventry, England. They currently compete in the British Elite Ice Hockey League .-Club history:...

 and the playoff champions

British Championship

The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...

 Sheffield Steelers

Sheffield Steelers

The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...

 at the SkyDome

SkyDome Arena

The SkyDome Arena is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Coventry, England. It was built in 1999. It is home to the Coventry Blaze Ice hockey team...

. The Blaze narrowly beat the Steelers 5-4 in sudden death overtime.

September 3
	Coventry	5 – 4	Sheffield		Skydome SkyDome Arena The SkyDome Arena is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Coventry, England. It was built in 1999. It is home to the Coventry Blaze Ice hockey team...  (19.30)
		First period			Ref: Tom Darnell
	1-0 Lewis (LeClare, Kelman) 01.08				Att: 3,500+
	2-0 Calder (Kelman, Carlson) PP 08.10
		Second period
	3-0Calder (Kelman, Carlson) PP 22.00
			3-1 Philips (League) PP 29.20
			3-2 Gillies (Sarich, Hewitt) 30.18
		Third period
			3-3 Philips (Finerty, Dowd) PP 44.38
	4-3 Carlson (Deschatelets) SH 52.35
			4-4 Basiuk (Tait, Talbot) PP 53.28
		Overtime
	5-4 Calder (Carlson, Weaver) PP 60.26

Challenge Cup

For the preliminary round, teams were divided into two groups of five with teams playing each of their opponents once with two homes games and two away games. The home and away games for each club were determined by a random draw. The top two in each group advanced to the semi finals of the competition.

Group A

	Team	GP	W	OTW	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	Belfast Giants Belfast Giants The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Home games are played at the 7,100-capacity Odyssey Arena in Belfast....	4	4	0	0	0	18	8	8
2	Manchester Phoenix Manchester Phoenix Manchester Phoenix are a professional ice hockey team from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. The club was formed in 2003 as a result of the efforts of supporters group Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey to bring top-level ice hockey back to Manchester after Manchester Storm folded in...	4	3	0	1	0	19	12	6
3	Newcastle Vipers Newcastle Vipers The Newcastle Vipers were an ice hockey club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Former members of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the club previously held membership in the British National League.- History :...	4	2	0	2	0	15	18	4
4	Sheffield Steelers Sheffield Steelers The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...	4	1	0	3	0	14	17	2
5	Edinburgh Capitals Edinburgh Capitals The Edinburgh Capitals are a Scottish ice hockey club, playing in the UK-wide Elite Ice Hockey League.They are based in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh...	4	0	0	4	0	10	21	0

Group B

	Team	GP	W	OTW	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	Basingstoke Bison Basingstoke Bison The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :...	4	3	0	1	0	19	16	6
2	Coventry Blaze Coventry Blaze Coventry Blaze are an ice hockey team based in Coventry, England. They currently compete in the British Elite Ice Hockey League .-Club history:...	4	2	0	1	1	17	13	5
3	Nottingham Panthers Nottingham Panthers The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...	4	1	1	0	2	12	11	4
4	Cardiff Devils Cardiff Devils The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team currently plays in the temporary Cardiff Arena...	4	2	0	2	0	10	12	4
5	Hull Stingrays Hull Stingrays Hull Stingrays are a British ice hockey club from Kingston upon Hull. They were formed in 2003 and play their home games at Hull Arena.The Stingrays replaced previous clubs Hull Thunder 1999–2002, Kingston Hawks 1996–1998, Humberside Hawks 1993–1995, and Humberside Seahawks 1988–1992...	4	0	0	3	1	11	18	1

Semi-Finals

Coventry Blaze 1 - 1 Belfast Giants (1st Leg)

Belfast Giants 4 - 1 Coventry Blaze (2nd Leg)

Belfast Win 5 - 2 on Aggregate

Basingstoke Bison 2 - 5 Manchester Phoenix (1st Leg)

Manchester Phoenix 6 - 1 Basingstoke Bison (2nd Leg)

Manchester Win 11 - 3 on Aggregate

Final

Manchester Phoenix 4 - 3 Belfast Giants

Belfast Giants 3 - 1 Manchester Phoenix

Belfast Giants win 6 - 5 on aggregate

League

Regular season standings	GP	W	OTW	L	OTL	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Sheffield Steelers Sheffield Steelers The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...	54	35	6	6	7	201	115	+86	89
Coventry Blaze Coventry Blaze Coventry Blaze are an ice hockey team based in Coventry, England. They currently compete in the British Elite Ice Hockey League .-Club history:...	54	34	4	14	2	228	151	+77	78
Nottingham Panthers Nottingham Panthers The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...	54	33	4	13	4	226	154	+72	78
Belfast Giants Belfast Giants The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Home games are played at the 7,100-capacity Odyssey Arena in Belfast....	54	29	6	15	4	216	170	+46	74
Cardiff Devils Cardiff Devils The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team currently plays in the temporary Cardiff Arena...	54	21	7	19	7	174	143	+31	63
Manchester Phoenix Manchester Phoenix Manchester Phoenix are a professional ice hockey team from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. The club was formed in 2003 as a result of the efforts of supporters group Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey to bring top-level ice hockey back to Manchester after Manchester Storm folded in...	54	22	5	23	4	198	179	+19	58
Newcastle Vipers Newcastle Vipers The Newcastle Vipers were an ice hockey club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Former members of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the club previously held membership in the British National League.- History :...	54	14	7	29	4	147	184	−37	46
Edinburgh Capitals Edinburgh Capitals The Edinburgh Capitals are a Scottish ice hockey club, playing in the UK-wide Elite Ice Hockey League.They are based in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh...	54	18	1	29	6	179	243	−64	44
Hull Stingrays Hull Stingrays Hull Stingrays are a British ice hockey club from Kingston upon Hull. They were formed in 2003 and play their home games at Hull Arena.The Stingrays replaced previous clubs Hull Thunder 1999–2002, Kingston Hawks 1996–1998, Humberside Hawks 1993–1995, and Humberside Seahawks 1988–1992...	54	13	3	33	5	154	243	−89	37
Basingstoke Bison Basingstoke Bison The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :...	54	5	3	43	3	131	272	−141	19

Playoffs

All-star game

On February 19th, 2009, the SkyDome in Coventry staged the 2009 EIHL All-Star Game. This game was played out between the North All-Stars and the South All-Stars. Dave Matsos of the Sheffield Steelers

Sheffield Steelers

The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...

 was chosen to coach the North, while Paul Thompson of the Coventry Blaze

Coventry Blaze

Coventry Blaze are an ice hockey team based in Coventry, England. They currently compete in the British Elite Ice Hockey League .-Club history:...

was chosen to coach the South. The rosters for each team consisted of players representing all 10 Elite League clubs.