Worldclass ice hockey players pass on some tips
YOUNG Queenstown ice hockey players showed their passion for the sport during a rare training session with Team USA and Canada stars ahead of their big match tonight.
Players from both teams landed in Queenstown just before noon on Tuesday to prepare for the highly anticipated Ice Hockey Classic match.
They later met Queenstown Ice Hockey Club players, aged 517, for the oneoff training session at Queenstown Ice Arena, where the teams will go head to head.
‘‘New hockey players — I love it. Enthusiasm and work ethic, it is so much fun,’’ Team Canada player Eric Neilson said.
‘‘You can see the passion. These kids want to learn. They are hungry.
‘‘We are getting ready for the big game on Thursday night. It’s the biggest rivalry in hockey, ever.’’
Other players at the training session included brothers Shane and T.J. Brennan, Michael Budd and Ed Gale from Team USA, and Peter Holland representing Canada.
After the session, Shane Brennan said they had just got off the ice with ‘‘some future allstars’’.
‘‘We have been working on some game situation stuff. You know, where to move without the puck, calling to get open, bringing the intensity . . . and obviously finishing for some goals.’’
The youngsters were given top tips from the worldclass players during the session.
‘‘We have been doing a lot of drills, passing and races,’’ Jack Walters (10), of Queenstown, said.
‘‘I really enjoyed the little game we had.
‘‘The players were really good and I think Canada will win.’’
Ice hockey stars from both countries will compete in the match for the final part of a threestop tour of New Zealand.
Canada took the lead last Friday, winning the first game of the tour 85 at the Spark Arena in Auckland.
The second game was scheduled to take place the next day at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium but fans were left disappointed.
The game was first delayed and then postponed after a pipe holding freezing agent burst on Saturday, before it was cancelled altogether when fencing on one side of the rink collapsed on Sunday.
The tour is also a fundraiser for the Stop Concussions Foundation, which raises awareness of concussion and neurotrauma.
Tonight’s match will start at 6pm.