NZ Ice Blacks Team Named For World Champs

NZ Ice Blacks Team Named For World Champs

The New Zealand national men’s ice hockey team, the Ice Blacks, have announced the team to contest the Division II World Championships in Newcastle, Australia from April 6th to 13th next year. The team has been selected after two intensive three-day trials in Auckland and Queenstown opened up to 50 players from across New Zealand followed by two reduced squad camps in Queenstown and Christchurch. The team is made up of players from the New Zealand Ice Hockey League, which is our premier provincial competition.

The team leaves New Zealand for a 10 day training camp in Beijing, China in late March and from there travel to Newcastle to compete in the IIHF Division II World Championships against China, Australia, Spain, Iceland and Mexico.

Head Coach Jeff Bonazzo is very positive about his team saying, “This is by far the best team New Zealand has ever sent to a World Championships. They are a committed bunch dedicated to improving their game and putting New Zealand on the international ice hockey map!”

In 2007 the Ice Blacks won the Division III World Champs in Ireland with a clean sweep over their competition and gaining promotion to a very competitive Division II.

Six new caps were selected for the team, with Loren Nowland, Dale Harrop and Adam Soffer from Christchurch, Jordan Challis and KC Ball from Auckland and James Van Leeuwen from Dunedin.

The team is:
Goaltenders:
Zak Nothling- Auckland
Rick Parry- Auckland
Stephen Reid- Queenstown

Players:
Daniel Smith- Auckland
Nick Curnow- Auckland
Laurie Horo- Queenstown
Brett Speirs- Queenstown
Andrew Hay- Auckland
Mitchell Oak- Auckland
Hayden Argyle- Christchurch
Stacey Rout- Queenstown Adam Soffer- Christchurch
Jordan Challis- Auckland
Joshua Hay- Auckland
Jamie Moore-Carter- Queenstown
Simon Glass- Queenstown
Simon Wilson- Queenstown
Corey Down- Wellington
Ryan Paskell- Queenstown
Dale Harrop- Christchurch
Hamish Lewis- Christchurch
Loren Nowland- Christchurch
James Van Leeuwen- Dunedin
Braden Lee - Queenstown
KC Ball- Auckland

ENDS

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