1996–97 Nationalliga A season
# 1996–97 Nationalliga A season

The 1996–97 NLA season was the 59th regular season of the Nationalliga A.

## Regular season

### Final standings

Pts :

| 1. | SC Bern | 36 | 23 | 11 | 2 | 155 | 108 | 48 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2. | EV Zug | 36 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 158 | 109 | 47 |
| 3. | EHC Kloten | 36 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 120 | 101 | 41 |
| 4. | HC Fribourg-Gottéron | 36 | 17 | 14 | 5 | 135 | 110 | 39 |
| 5. | HC Davos | 36 | 19 | 16 | 1 | 147 | 135 | 39 |
| 6. | HC Lugano | 36 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 137 | 125 | 38 |
| 7. | ZSC Lions | 36 | 16 | 19 | 1 | 123 | 149 | 33 |
| 8. | SC Rapperswil-Jona | 36 | 14 | 20 | 2 | 111 | 127 | 30 |
| 9. | HC Ambri-Piotta | 36 | 12 | 22 | 2 | 119 | 138 | 26 |
| 10. | HC La Chaux-de-Fonds | 36 | 9 | 26 | 1 | 103 | 196 | 19 |

### Master Round

Pts :

| 1. | SC Bern | 46 | 29 | 15 | 2 | 205 | 140 | 60 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2. | EV Zug | 46 | 26 | 15 | 5 | 188 | 142 | 57 |
| 3. | HC Davos | 46 | 24 | 20 | 2 | 187 | 181 | 50 |
| 4. | EHC Kloten | 46 | 21 | 18 | 7 | 152 | 131 | 49 |
| 5. | HC Lugano | 46 | 22 | 19 | 5 | 166 | 153 | 49 |
| 6. | HC Fribourg-Gottéron | 46 | 20 | 19 | 7 | 167 | 154 | 47 |

### Qualification round

Pts :

| 7. | SC Rapperswil-Jona | 45 | 21 | 22 | 2 | 156 | 163 | 44 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 8. | ZSC Lions | 45 | 19 | 24 | 2 | 155 | 188 | 40 |
| 9. | HC Ambri-Piotta | 45 | 17 | 25 | 3 | 153 | 165 | 37 |
| 10. | HC La Chaux-de-Fonds | 45 | 11 | 33 | 1 | 131 | 243 | 23 |

## Playoffs

### Quarterfinals

SC Bern (1) vs. ZSC Lions (8) :

| Away | Home |
| - | - |
| ZSC Lions 5 | 3 SC Bern |
| SC Bern 1 | 3 ZSC Lions |
| ZSC Lions 2 | 7 SC Bern |
| SC Bern 5 | 2 ZSC Lions |
| ZSC Lions 2 | 5 SC Bern |
| SC Bern wins series 3–2 ||||

EV Zug (2) vs. SC Rapperswil-Jona (7) :

| Away | Home |
| - | - |
| SC Rapperswil-Jona 1 | 2 EV Zug |
| EV Zug 2 | 0 SC Rapperswil-Jona |
| SC Rapperswil-Jona 1 | 3 EV Zug |
| EV Zug wins series 3–0 ||||

HC Davos (3) vs. Fribourg-Gottéron (6) :

| Date | Away | Home |
| - | - | - |
| Fribourg-Gottéron 3 | 4 HC Davos | |
| HC Davos 5 | 4 Fribourg-Gottéron | OT |
| Fribourg-Gottéron 3 | 4 HC Davos | |
| HC Davos wins series 3–0 ||||

EHC Kloten (4) vs. HC Lugano (5) :

| Date | Away | Home |
| - | - | - |
| HC Lugano 3 | 5 EHC Kloten | |
| EHC Kloten 2 | 3 HC Lugano | |
| HC Lugano 3 | 2 EHC Kloten | OT |
| EHC Kloten 1 | 7 HC Lugano | |
| HC Lugano wins series 3–1 ||||

### Semifinals

SC Bern vs. HC Lugano :

| Away | Home |
| - | - |
| HC Lugano 0 | 1 SC Bern | OT |
| SC Bern 1 | 3 HC Lugano | |
| HC Lugano 3 | 6 SC Bern | |
| SC Bern 6 | 3 HC Lugano | |
| SC Bern wins series 3–1 ||||

EV Zug vs. HC Davos :

| Date | Away | Home |
| - | - | - |
| HC Davos 1 | 2 EV Zug | |
| EV Zug 4 | 3 HC Davos | n.P. |
| HC Davos 4 | 6 EV Zug | |
| EV Zug wins series 3–0 ||||

### Finals

SC Bern vs. EV Zug :

| Away | Home |
| - | - |
| EV Zug 4 | 1 SC Bern | |
| SC Bern 5 | 2 EV Zug | |
| EV Zug 2 | 3 SC Bern | OT |
| SC Bern 4 | 0 EV Zug | |
| SC Bern wins series 3–1 ||||
