Each team had to play four times against every other team in the league and ten additional times against local teams. Each game consisted of three thirds of 20 minutes each. In the event that a winner was not found after regular time, the game was considered a draw.
A win in regular time earned a team 2 points. A draw was rewarded with one point. There were no points for defeat.
Closing table
Abbreviations: Sp = games, S = wins, U = draws, N = defeats, T = goals, GT = goals conceded, TD = goal difference
Places 1-8 were automatically qualified for the play-offs. The teams that had won the most of five games in the quarter and semi-finals against their opponents qualified for the next round. The winners of the semi-finals made it to the final while the losers played for third place in the small final. Five games were also played in the final. Whoever won the most games was the winner of the season. Only one game was played in the round for third place. The respective opponents were put together so that the top ranked team plays against the worst, the second best, against the second worst, and so on. As in the main season, a game lasted a total of 60 minutes. After the regular time, extensions of 20 minutes each were played until a winner was found through a decisive goal.
Tournament tree
Quarter finals
Semifinals
final
25.3. -? .3.1999
TPS
3
3.4. - 6.4.1999
JYP
0
TPS
3
25.3. -? .3.1999
SaiPa
0
Jokerite
0
April 13-18, 1999
SaiPa
3
TPS
3
25.3 - 30.3.1999
HIFK
1
HIFK
3
3.4. - 6.4.1999
Espoo
1
HIFK
3
Game for third place
25.3 - 30.3.1999
HPK
0
HPK
3
HPK
1
Ilves
1
SaiPa
0
9.4.1999
Quarter finals
TPS - JYP
25th March
TPS
Ilves
8-0
Ilves
TPS
2-3
TPS
Ilves
5-1
TPS wins the round 3-0.
Jokerite - SaiPa
25th March
Jokerite
SaiPa
1-4
SaiPa
Jokerite
4-3 n.V.
Jokerite
SaiPa
4-5
SaiPa wins the round 3-0.
HIFK - blues
25th March
HIFK
blues
3-4
blues
HIFK
1-2 n.V.
HIFK
blues
5-2
March 30
blues
HIFK
2-3
HIFK wins the round with 3: 1.
HPK - Ilves
25th March
HPK
Ilves
3-0
Ilves
HPK
4-5 n.V.
HPK
Ilves
1-2
March 30
Ilves
HPK
4-5 n.V.
HPK wins the round 3-1.
Semifinals
TPS - SaiPa
3rd of April
TPS
SaiPa
4-0
SaiPa
TPS
1-3
April 6th
TPS
SaiPa
7-3
TPS wins the round 3-0.
HIFK - HPK
3rd of April
HIFK
HPK
7-3
HPK
HIFK
2-4
April 6th
HIFK
HPK
5-1
HIFK wins the round 3-0.
third place
HPK - SaiPa
9th April
HPK
SaiPa
7-2
HPK wins bronze.
final
TPS - HIFK
April 13th
TPS
HIFK
3-1
HIFK
TPS
7-2
TPS
HIFK
5-2
April 18
HIFK
TPS
0-1
TPS wins the championship 3-1. HIFK receives silver.
In order not to be relegated, the last placed team in the SM-liiga (in this case KalPa Kuopio ) had to prove itself against three candidates for promotion from the second Finnish ice hockey league (1st division). The promotion candidates were the three best teams in the play-offs of the 1st division ( TuTo Turku , Pelicans Lahti and Sport Vaasa ). There were two qualifying rounds, with the winners of the first competing in the second round. Whoever won the second round was allowed to stay in the SM-liiga or be promoted to it.
1 round
KalPa - TuTo
KalPa
TuTo
6-3
TuTo
KalPa
0-3
KalPa
TuTo
6-2
KalPa wins the 1st round 3-0.
Pelicans - sport
Pelicans
Sports
3-1
Sports
Pelicans
0-3
Pelicans
Sports
2-1 a.d.
The Pelicans win the 1st round 3-0.
2nd round
KalPa - Pelicans
KalPa
Pelicans
1-4
Pelicans
KalPa
3-1
KalPa
Pelicans
1-2
The Pelicans win the 2nd round 3-0.
The Pelicans were promoted to the SM-liiga based on the result of the 2nd round. KalPa Kuopio had to relegate to the 1st division.