Only about a month to go until the big show starts.

Anyone seen the provisional squads and/or imports of note for each team play?

why make life hard when we could just apply to host the div 2 tourny? be better than trying to get some countrys to come down for an unsanctioned event.

Best plan is to leave the Winter games as is, but play more Aus/NZ games. 5 games over 7. Why involve teams that won’t bring any money through the front door?

Another alternative is to invite all the Aussie Nat league teams (7) and play against ours (5) in two divisions. One played in Queenstown and other in Dunedin, plus finals in Dunedin. There might be some loopsided games but has more commercial sense than seeing India play Mongolia!

Its a good development but really how often will it be used. I can only think of maybe one or two draws over the entire National League history. having said that, if either team had won the draw, then the teams making the final probably would have changed. Stat geeks can prove me wrong!

Major problem will be that in some rinks there won’t be sufficient time available to run it due to other committments.

Days 4 & 5 In Vierumaki, Finland ? Game #2 Report
After our first game on Sunday, we had just one practice the following day and began working more on our power play and penalty kill and some other standard situations in our ice practice. The boys were very pleased with having a light day; we began the day with some friendly basketball in the gym. Unfortunately, Rick Parry took an injury during the game, suffering a corked thigh, forcing him to skip the afternoon ice session.

In the evening the boys enjoyed their first authentic Finnish sauna experience including a polar bear swim and some big jumps into the still frozen lake. The photos are sure to follow.

Today (Tuesday) was our second warm up game of the tour. The morning started with an ice session at 9:30am so the boys could sleep a bit longer that the other day. After breakfast, Dr Chris Julian and Daniel Nichols headed off to Helsinki to see a surgical specialist about Daniel?s broken wrist. The good news is that Daniel does not need to undergo surgery much to the relief of the whole team.

After our lunch today and a few hour rest, we held another class room session to go through some more tactical instructions and reinforcement of our systems and strategy. Finally, 7:00pm came and it was game again. Once again, we did not know what to expect form our opponent Kiekkoreidas Lahti.

The game started with high intensity on both sides with a couple of big hits and smooth plays. The Ice Blacks opened up the scoring at 1:37 into the game on a power play. Ian Wannamaker came out from the corner and put the puck into the net from a close angle. The Ice Blacks kept putting on the pressure after that and at 2:02 we score our second goal for the night by Brett Speirs assisted by Charlie Huber and Josh Hay. After our quick first two goals the Finns started to get into the game but our D-zone coverage and support play held them to the outside, never really allowing them to threaten our goal. It was again the Ice Blacks at 11:01 who scored next with an unassisted tally by Joshua Hay. The first period finished with a 3:0 lead to the Ice Blacks.

The second period started more settled on both sides, as both teams did a better job of defending their goal. Especially as the Ice Blacks received two penalties at the same time and had to play a 3 on 5 situation for 2 minutes. Our defence lines worked very well and Ian Wannamaker and Jordan Challis did a brilliant job in blocking shots and lanes of passing options to shut down the Finns. The Finns started to get more and more frustrated about their game and one of their players lost the plot getting sent off the ice for throwing his toys. Finally the Finns opened the scoring on their side of the ledger at 36:09 with a rocket shot from inside our blue line catching goaltender Zak Nothling by surprise. This was a wake up call for our team and we put it in a higher gear from that point, netting the reward for it with a goal at 38:55 after a nice hard pass from Dale Harrop to Chris Eaden in the slot. We finished the period one goal a piece and the scores at 4:1 to the Ice Blacks.

The third period started with the same intensity as we finished the second, so it come without surprise that we scored again at 44:24. Another goal from Brett Speirs after a backhand pass from Josh Hay while moving around the Finnish defender at their blue line. This was not the end of the scoring as Josh Hay decided to put another goal on the scoreboard at 45:55. After a very nice play from Charlie Huber he picked up the puck in the neutral zone using his speed to burn around the defender and deked the goaltender with a slick move putting the puck between his legs. After that goal we ensured our defence work was up to the rest of the game time. The game finished up at a 6:1 win for the Ice Blacks.

Zak Nothling made thirty saves on the night. Bert Haines played another strong physical game for the Ice Blacks keeping up his commitment and work ethic through out the night.

Again, we have to thank the finish people here in Vierumaki for their great hospitality as the team again received a great pizza snack after the game.

Look out for our next game report tomorrow. Until then?

Andreas Kaisser

Ice Blacks Assistant Coach

Game 3 Report

2010 NZ U18 Ice Hockey Team – NZ vs South Africa – Game Report by Stacey Rout (Assistant Coach)Share
Yesterday at 18:34
New Zealand 5 South Africa 2

1st Period
New Zealand started a bit sluggish from the puck drop allowing South Africa to skate with the puck through the nuetral zone giving them the space to score first early on in the period, this was a wake call NZ needed quickly seeing this was going to be no easy game. Halfway through the period 5 on 5 NZ turned the momentum into there favor shooting on net and not giving SA much to work with with some good solid defense from Jamie Lawrence and good fore checking from Quinn Drake and Tom Wilson gave NZ some good scoring chances. Later in the period a couple of big penilty kills kept NZ very much in this game

2nd Period
The players were not happy with there first period and took it upon themselves to step it up starting with an individual dangle by Gareth Lloyd opening the scoring quickly followed up again by Gareth Lloyd from a nice rebound from Conner Harrison off the goalies pads to take NZ into the lead. Heavy pressure from Logan Johnston, Justin Fuller, Dale Bailey lead to some great shots, a small lapse in defensive zone let SA to tie up the game. NZ responded back with a turn over goal from Conner Harrison and his 3rd of the night Gareth Lloyd to end the period 4 – 2

3rd Period
3rd period started the way the 2nd period finished, NZ outskated SA from the beginning till the end dominating in every aspect of the game hard work paid off again another shot from Conner Harrison and rebound goal to get his 4th goal Gareth Lloyd, NZ continued to get scoring chances from Josh Greenwood, Remy Sandoy and Dylan Dickson. SA had some good scoring opportunities but our goal tending from Joe Gaynor, solid defense from Ryan Currid did and txt book back checking from Dale Bailey not allow SA back into the game at all.

A great team effort and a good way to finish the game has made the team set there sights on the number one ranked team Mexico tomorrow night for the gold medal game which I’m sure will not be any kind of Mexican stand off

Stacey Rout
Assistant Coach

The games are scheduled to an approved IIHF protocol, generally, the games on the final day are 1-2, 3-4, 5-6. Its designed to prevent cricket scores as in the Japan (I think) -Thailand game a few years ago when they need to score 70 odd to win the tourny!!