2023–24 SWHL A season

2023–24 SWHL A season
LeagueSwiss Women's League A
SportIce hockey
DurationSeptember 16, 2023 – February 25, 2024
Number of games104
Number of teams8
Regular Season
Season ChampionsSC Bern Frauen
Season MVPFrance Estelle Duvin (SC Bern Frauen)
Playoffs
Women's League champion
ChampionsZSC Lions Frauen
  Runners-upSC Bern Frauen
Swiss Women's League A seasons
2024–25 →

The 2022–23 Swiss League season was the 37th season of the Swiss Women's League A.

Teams

Winning the SWHL-B championship, the HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies is promoted to SWHL-A[1]

The major Swiss hockey clubs are showing more and more interest in women's hockey. The EV Zug created a women's team with an impressive budget of 1.2 million CHF. The League authorizes them to take part in the SWHL-B championship.[2] In response, SC Bern took EV Bomo Thun under its wing. SC Bern Frauen will now play at the PostFinance Arena.[3] The HC Davos also agrees with the HC Thurgau to move its team from the Indians to the Eisstadion Davos, under the name HC Davos Ladies.[4]

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Swiss League teams for the 2023–24 season


Team Trainer City Arena Capacity
HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls Benjamin Rogger, Christian Agustoni Quinto Nuova Valascia 6,675
SC Bern Frauen Thomas Zwahlen, Petra Melicherikova Bern PostFinance Arena 17,031
HC Davos Ladies Andrea Kröni, Marc Kröni, Emanuel Karrer Davos Eisstadion Davos 7,080
HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies Valentin Dufour, Fabrice Vadi Fribourg BCF Arena 9,075
SC Langenthal Ladies Jürg Langenegger, Nicola Minder Langenthal Schoren Halle 4,320
Ladies Team Lugano Massimo Fedrizzi Lugano Cornèr Arena 7,200
HC Université Neuchâtel Dames Yan Gigon Neuchâtel Patinoire du Littoral 7,000
ZSC Lions Frauen Angela Frautschi, Cyndy Kenyon Zürich Kunsteisbahn Oerlikon 1,700

Regular season

The regular season started on 16 September 2023 and ended on 25 February 2024. The regular season is played at the national level in the form of a round of five matches, that is to say that each of the eight teams plays 28 matches. The first four in the ranking in the regular season compete in the playoffs (best of 5), the four last team compete in a ranking round. The Swiss SWHL-B champions will be promoted directly to the WL for the 2024/25 season. The SWHL-B runner-up plays a league qualifier against the loser of the WL ranking round. If the SWHL-B champion does not wish to be promoted, the runner-up will be promoted directly and no WL member will be relegated. If SWHL-B champions and runners-up do not wish to be promoted, there will be no promotion or relegation from WL to SWHL-B.[5]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 SC Bern Frauen 28 23 1 1 3 139 47 +92 72 Advance to Playoffs
2 ZSC Lions Frauen 28 21 2 1 4 122 47 +75 68
3 HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 28 19 1 1 7 123 66 +57 60
4 HC Université Neuchâtel Dames 28 13 1 2 12 86 82 +4 43
5 HC Davos Ladies 28 11 2 1 14 69 76 −7 38 Advance to Ranking Round
6 HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies 28 9 1 0 18 75 112 −37 29
7 Ladies Team Lugano 28 5 0 2 21 45 150 −105 17
8 SC Langenthal Ladies 28 3 0 0 25 27 106 −79 9
Source: [1]
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.

Statistics

Scoring leaders

The following shows the top ten players who led the league in points, at the conclusion of the regular season.[6] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
France Estelle Duvin SC Bern Frauen 28 35 32 67 18
Finland Maija Otamo SC Bern Frauen 28 22 36 58 8
Sweden Fanny Rask HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 28 18 37 55 34
Switzerland Sinja Leemann ZSC Lions Frauen 28 25 27 52 8
United States Theresa Knutson HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 28 30 19 49 6
United States Eleri MacKay HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies 28 19 21 40 6
Switzerland Emma Ingold SC Bern Frauen 28 15 21 36 8
Switzerland Romy Eggimann HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 27 19 16 35 34
Finland Jenna Suokko SC Bern Frauen 27 16 16 32 37
Finland Jenna Kaila HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 25 21 10 31 12

Leading goaltenders

The following shows the top five goaltenders who led the league in goals against average, provided that they have played at least 40% of their team's minutes, at the conclusion of the regular season.[7]

Player Team(s) GP TOI GA GAA
Switzerland Sandy Heim ZSC Lions Frauen 16 824 17 1,24
Switzerland Alexandra Lehmann SC Bern Frauen 14 787 18 1,37
Switzerland Laura De Bastiani ZSC Lions Frauen 17 864 27 1,88
Switzerland Saskia Maurer SC Bern Frauen 15 864 27 1,88
Switzerland Sofia Decristophoris HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 23 1363 46 2,03

Playoffs

Bracket

Semi-finals
(best-of-5) 		Finals
(best-of-5)
      
1 SC Bern Frauen 3
4 HC Université Neuchâtel Dames 0
1 SC Bern Frauen 2
2 ZSC Lions Frauen 3
2 ZSC Lions Frauen 3
3 HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 1 Game for 3rd place
(best-of-1)
3 HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 5
4 HC Université Neuchâtel Dames 4

Semi-Finals

(1) SC Bern Frauen vs. (4) HC Université Neuchâtel Dames

2 March SC Bern Frauen 4-0 HC Université Neuchâtel Dames PostFinance Arena, Bern Recap  
Allemann (Ryser, Rossel) - 3:44 First period No scoring
Duvin (Ingold, Suokko) (PP1) - 25:07 Second period No scoring
Ingold (Duvin, Aymon) - 40:23
Duvin (PS) - 56:26 		Third period No scoring
Saskia Maurer Goalie stats Nina Paiva
3 March HC Université Neuchâtel Dames 1-4 SC Bern Frauen Patinoire du Littoral, Neuchâtel Recap  
No scoring First period Otamo (Aymon) - 0:22
Christen (Allemann) - 9:29
No scoring Second period Suokko (Rossel, Joray) (PP1) - 37:50
50:55 - Bourquin (Fornasier, Bargo Cuns) Third period Pélissou (Otamo) - 42:49
Nina Paiva Goalie stats Saskia Maurer
9 March SC Bern Frauen 2-1 HC Université Neuchâtel Dames PostFinance Arena, Bern Recap  
Suokko (Joray, S. Marty) - 14:12 First period No scoring
Otamo (Duvin) - 32:52 Second period 32:23 - Fornasier (Brauen)
No scoring Third period No scoring
Saskia Maurer Goalie stats Nina Paiva
SC Bern Frauen won the series 3–0.


(2) ZSC Lions Frauen vs. (3) HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls

2 March ZSC Lions Frauen 1-3 HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls Kunsteisbahn Oerlikon, Zürich Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period No scoring
Rüedi (Scheurer, Lendi) - 58:21 Third period 42:24 - Luraschi (Holmgren, Andenmatten)
51:37 - Kaila (Knutson, Rask) (PP1)
53:51 - Kaila (Knutson, Rask) (PP2)
Sandy Heim Goalie stats Sofia Decristophoris
3 March HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 1-2 OT ZSC Lions Frauen Nuova Valascia, Quinto Recap  
No scoring First period Baechler (Leemann) - 15:19
No scoring Second period No scoring
41:32 - Knutson (Kaila, Montalbetti) Third period No scoring
No scoring First overtime period Baechler (Rüedi) - 61:29
Sofia Decristophoris Goalie stats Sandy Heim
9 March ZSC Lions Frauen 5-2 HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls Kunsteisbahn Oerlikon, Zürich Recap  
Rüedi (Scheurer) - 16:38 First period No scoring
Marti (Lendi) - 22:48
Baechler (Rüedi) - 35:08 		Second period 34:37 - Merz (Andenmatten, Holmgren)
36:31 - Rask (Knutson) (PP1)
Kontny (Harju, Thalmann) - 45:51
Kontny - 51:43 		Third period No scoring
Sandy Heim Goalie stats Sofia Decristophoris
10 March HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 0-3 ZSC Lions Frauen Nuova Valascia, Quinto Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period Baechler (Rüedi) (PP1) - 28:30
No scoring Third period Marti - 58:15
Leemann (Rüedi) (EN) - 59:43
Sofia Decristophoris Goalie stats Sandy Heim
ZSC Lions Frauen won the series 3–1.


Game for 3rd place

17 March HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls 5-4 OT HC Université Neuchâtel Dames Nuova Valascia, Quinto Recap  
Rask (Luraschi, Eggimann) - 3:36
Eggimann (Rask) - 5:44 		First period 1:10 - Kunz (Carpenter-Boesch, Gilomen)
Rask (Desboeufs) - 26:01
Kaila (Knutson, Holmgren) (SH1) - 31:50 		Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period 41:37 - Bourquin (Menoud, Fornasier)
49:54 - Guerriero (Carpenter-Boesch) (PP1)
57:40 - Truax (Kunz)
Eggimann (Rask, Kaila) (PP1) - 75:06 First overtime period No scoring
Sofia Decristophoris Goalie stats Nina Paiva
HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls won the game and finish at the 3rd place.[8][9]


Finals

16 March SC Bern Frauen 2-3 OT ZSC Lions Frauen PostFinance Arena, Bern Recap  
Otamo (Duvin) - 8:40 First period No scoring
Otamo (Duvin) - 33:47 Second period 25:44 - Bachmann (Rüedi, Scheurer)
34:11 - Lendi (Marti)
No scoring Third period No scoring
No scoring First overtime period 64:00 - Leemann (PS)
Saskia Maurer Goalie stats Sandy Heim
17 March ZSC Lions Frauen 1-2 SC Bern Frauen Kunsteisbahn Oerlikon, Zürich Recap  
2:09 - Thalmann First period No scoring
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period Christen (PP1) - 54:04


Ingold (Allemann) - 55:19

Sandy Heim Goalie stats Saskia Maurer
20 March SC Bern Frauen 1-2 ZSC Lions Frauen PostFinance Arena, Bern Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
Rossel (Suokko, Duvin) - 39:59 Second period 30:05 - Sigrist (Fontaine) (PP1)
36:15 - Leemann (Marti, Lendi)
No scoring Third period No scoring
Saskia Maurer Goalie stats Sandy Heim
23 March ZSC Lions Frauen 0-1 SC Bern Frauen Kunsteisbahn Oerlikon, Zürich Recap  
No scoring First period Otamo (Pélissou, Duvin) - 2:46
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period No scoring
Sandy Heim Goalie stats Saskia Maurer
24 March SC Bern Frauen 0-3 ZSC Lions Frauen PostFinance Arena, Bern Recap  
No scoring First period 3:17 - Schaefer (Fontaine)
No scoring Second period 39:47 - Scheurer (Baechler, Rüedi)
No scoring Third period 44:38 - Rüedi (Baechler) (PP1)
Saskia Maurer Goalie stats Sandy Heim
ZSC Lions Frauen won the series 3–2.[10][11]


Team of Swiss champions

Goalkeepers: Laura De Bastiani, Sandy Heim

Defense: Alessia Baechler, Christine Deaudelin, Skylar Fontaine, Zoé Mächler, Jana Peter, Shannon Sigrist, Aurela Thalmann

Offense: Jil Aschwanden, Sara Bachmann, Mara Frey, Nora Harju, Kristina Kontny, Tereza Lahova, Sinja Leemann, Renee Lendi, Alina Marti, Lisa Rüedi, Vanessa Schaefer, Dominique Scheurer

Coaching: Angela Frautschi, Cyndy Kenyon

Awards

Ranking Round

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 HC Davos Ladies 6 5 0 0 1 22 9 +13 15 Saison Ended
2 HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies 6 5 0 0 1 33 9 +24 15
3 SC Langenthal Ladies 6 2 0 0 4 16 17 −1 6
4 Ladies Team Lugano 6 0 0 0 6 1 37 −36 0 Advance to Relegation round
Source: [2]
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.

The Ladies Team Lugano, after having recorded numerous departures at the start of this season, has experienced a lot of difficulty during this season. Finishing last in the championship with a very limited contingent, the leaders preferred to give up playing in the relegation round and accepted being relegated to the green carpet. The champion of the SWHL-B, the EV Zug Women therefore advances to the SWHL-A.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Les Thurgau Indien Ladies remportent le bronze en PostFinance Women's League". sihf.ch (in French). 13 March 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Zoug aura son équipe féminine en SWHL-B". swisshabs.ch (in French). 10 January 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Aus Bomo Thun werden die SC Bern Frauen". scb.ch (in German). 1 June 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Jetzt steigt auch der HCD ins Frauen-Hockey ein". blick.ch (in German). 13 December 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Le championnat de PostFinance Women's League débute samedi". sihf.ch (in French). 14 September 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Player stats". SIHF. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Goalie stats". SIHF. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Les Hirondelles rentrent au nid". courrierhebdo.ch (in French). 22 March 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Frauen: Woche 11 / 2024 der Women's League". hockeyfans.ch (in German). 18 March 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  10. ^ "Les ZSC Lions Frauen sont championnes suisses 2023/2024 !". sihf.ch (in French). 24 March 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  11. ^ "ZSC Lions Frauen sind wieder Meister". hockeyfans.ch (in German). 24 March 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  12. ^ "SCB's Estelle Duvin elected as MVP of the Women's League". swisshockeynews.ch. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  13. ^ "SWHL-B pas de barrage promotion de Zoug en Women's League". planetehockey.com (in French). 19 March 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.