The New Zealand Ice Blacks, including SkyCity Stampede players Aston Brookes, brothers Lachlan and Mitchell Frear, Stefan Amston, Colin McIntosh, Jordan Challis, Callum Burns, Dylan Devlin and Axel Ruski-Jones, open their campaign in the IIHF Division 2 Group B world champs at the Dunedin ice rink on Sunday night.
Head coach Cam Frear — who also coaches the Stampede — says the boys are fizzing represent NZ on "home ice", noting a lot of them either still live in Dunedin, or have during their uni days.
And having the ability for their families to be in the crowd is an added bonus.
Frear says his charges are also hugely motivated by the Ice Fernz silver medal at the recent IIHF Women’s Division 2 Group B world champs, also played in Dunedin — the Fernz came second to Australia, a team they lost to 4-3 in an overtime shoot-out last Saturday night.
"They did a great job," he says. "To be so close to gold against an Australian team ... I think NZ, as an ice hockey community, should be super-proud of that.
"It gives us inspiration to hopefully go and win this thing."
The Ice Blacks will play an exhibition game in Dunedin tonight, ahead of their first game, on Sunday night.
Frear says all games are a must-win to guarantee a gold medal, but notes their biggest competition’s likely to come from Iceland, which was relegated last year.
But, he reckons his side’s got a good blend of youth and experience — it boasts four or five players who brought gold home from the under-20 world champs earlier this year, including Ruski-Jones, who’ll be on debut for the senior men’s national team.
He got the call-up to replace fellow Stampede player Connor Harrison, who’s been ruled out with injury, while fellow U20 player, Auckland’s Markus MacDonald, was called in to replace Jackson Fontaine, also of Auckland, who’s also pulled out due to injury.
The Ice Blacks open their campaign in the IIHF Division 2 Group B world champs, being played at Dunedin Ice Stadium, on Sunday when they face Chinese Taipei.
They’ll then face Georgia on Monday, Thailand on Wednesday, Bulgaria on Friday and Iceland next Saturday.
Puck drop for all games is 8pm — all will be livestreamed via nzicehockey.tv
Meantime, the Queenstown players, some of whom have personal sponsors, are also hugely grateful to all those who purchased raffle tickets to help fund their world championship campaign — in all, the raffle raised about $6800.
