Australia and New Zealand are set to do battle in the
Trans-Tasman Ice Hockey Challenge when the Mighty Roos host
the Ice Blacks at O’Brien Icehouse in Melbourne this
November.
Ice Hockey Australia confirmed the New
Zealand Ice Hockey Federation has accepted the invitation,
and challenge, to play in Melbourne for the first time in
eleven years, in a special three-game series on November 4,
5 and 6 2022.
“We are thrilled to have international
ice hockey back in Australia, and we all know the fierce
sporting rivalry that exists between our two nations, so it
promises to be a very competitive series,” said
Ryan
O’Handley, Acting President of Ice Hockey
Australia.
The most recent games between the Mighty
Roos and the Ice Blacks were part of a three games series in
2019 at the New Zealand Winter Games in Queenstown, with the
Ice Blacks winning the series 2-1.
The last time the
teams met in Australia was at the World Championships in
Melbourne in September 2011, with the Mighty Roos winning
2-0.
“It is great to have tremendous sport back up
and running in Australia after such a long disruption, and
being able to play at what is considered by many to be the
best facility of its type in the southern hemisphere, will
add to the showcase and the atmosphere,” added
Ryan.
After a three-year break from international ice
hockey, the Ice Blacks are keen to resume the rivalry and
happy to be coming to Australia for the first time in more
than a decade.
“While we have great respect for each
other, the rivalry is strongest when we play Australia, and
we will be striving to ensure we come away with the
Trans-Tasman Trophy again. All players have missed the
opportunity to represent their country in recent years, so
come November it is sure to be game on,” said Andy Mills,
President of the New Zealand Ice Hockey
Federation.
The three-game series will add to the
growing number of ice sports events being held at O’Brien
Icehouse with competitions returning in 2022.
“We
have been delighted to have national competitions back this
year and hosting the three-match international series
between Australia and New Zealand is a great opportunity and
reinforces the venue as the home of ice hockey in
Australia,” said Lee Gordon, General Manager at O’Brien
Icehouse.
Trans-Tasman Ice Hockey
Challenge 2022
Australia (Mighty Roos) vs.
New…
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