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

Regular season

Final standings Team GP W L T GF GA 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

Team GP W L T GF GA 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

Team GP W L T GF GA 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

References sehv.ch hockeystats.ch hockeyarchives.info

External links hockeyfans.ch eishockeyforum.ch spoor.ch