Learning Experience for IHA’S
National Senior Team
Despite not playing normal season games since early
September 2008, coming off a summer break, and suffering the loss
of two key players midway through the first game of the championship,
Australia’s 2009 National Ice Hockey Team can hold their
high and learn from their Division I experience. They now have
the confidence they are competitive with the lower ranked Division
I teams if they field a full squad and are better prepared for
the rigors of Division I play.
Australia’s key game on preventing relegation
back to Division II in 2010 was against Team Croatia. Neither
team recorded a win in the regular round leading up to the final
day of deciding games for all participating teams. The 5 –
1 win for Croatia was not indicative to the actual play in the
game. A couple of unfortunate turnovers in Australia’s defensive
end resulted in goals that normally would not have been scored.
The loss of an entire line due to injuries added extra pressure
on the remaining players
The Australians skated evenly with the Croatians
with end-to-end plays by both teams and Australia having the best
scoring opportunities early in the first period. Unfortunately,
it was Croatia who notched the first goal late in the first period.
The period ended with Croatia in the lead 1 – 0.
In the second, Croatia scored two goals on turnovers
in Australia’s end to increase the lead 3 -0. Play remained
tight until Australia’s defenceman, Rob Starke walked in
and fired a slap shot high to the Croatian’s goaltender’s
glove side on a passing combination from Seymour and Franchini
to put the Aussies on the board and end the period with Croatia
leading 3 – 1.
In the third, Australia was compelled to open up
to reduce the margin by at least one goal for a chance at an overall
victory. Croatia also stepped up the tempo and scored two more
against the exhausted Aussies to record a final score of 5 –
1 and reinstatement in Division I as the 5th place team.
Australia’s defeat resulted in being relegated
the 2010 Division II championship as the number one seeded team
in their group. The groups (2 x 6 teams each) will be determined
at the IIHF 2009 May Annual Congress in Bern Switzerland.
In other deciding games, Kazakhstan overpowered
number one ranked Team Slovenia with an action packed 2 –
1 score and promotion to join the top 16 teams in the 2010 World
Championship.
Japan retained third place and Bronze Medal status
by defeating hosts Team Lithuania with a 5 – 1 result.
Team Australia players return home to their
respective teams to commence their National 2009 Australian Ice
Hockey League (AIHL) season with all AIHL teams playing their
first game starting next weekend.
Team Australia Showdown With
Croatia
After four days of competition it will be Team
Australia versus Team Croatia on the final day of Division I Group
A competition. The competition will determine which team will
be relegated to Division II for 2010. David Huxley suffered a
separated shoulder in the contest.
Although Team Australia faced fierce competition
against Team Kazakhstan yesterday, the rookies (Villani &
Upton), notched two goals against their formidable foe. A number
of Kazakhstan’s players play in the Russian League which
is equivalent to North America’s professional leagues. Goaltender
Matt Ezzy started the game and after the first period was replaced
by Stu Denham for the remainder of the game
Slovenia managed to hold off a persistent Japanese
Team with a 2 – 1 score to retain their undefeated status.
Slovenia will meet Team Kazakhstan, who is also undefeated, to
determine who will be promoted to the top 16 teams for the 2010
World Championship.
Team Lithuania recorded a 7 – 2 victory over
Team Croatia before a full house of loyal fans. Team Lithuania
will now meet Team Japan for Bronze supremacy.
All teams have the day-off to recuperate
prior to the final round of competition on Friday.
Australian National Senior Team
Experiencing a New Level of Competion
IHA’s 2009 National Senior Team
(NST-2009) players are experiencing a new level of competition
at the IIHF 2009 World Division I Group A Championship in Vilnius,
Lithuania.
The NST-2009 played the Division’s
highest ranking team, Slovenia, in their first game. Slovenia
was relegated to Division I after being relegated from the Top
16 Teams at the 2008 World Championships. The Aussies were compelled
to play a totally defensive game against a much speedier and experienced
opponent waiting for turnovers to carry the puck up ice for scoring
opportunities. The Slovenians came on top with a 6 – 0 score
to notch their first win of the Championship.
During the game, the Aussies lost
their top player for the remainder of the Championship, when Greg
Oddy took a shot to the side of his jaw resulting in a fracture
of the jaw bone. In the third period Adrian Esposito suffered
a strained muscle to his shoulder, but may be ready for game three
against Lithuania. Goaltender Matt Ezzy faced 46 shots.
In the second encounter against Team
Japan, the Aussies were more fluid and at ease with their opponents.
However, the Aussies were unable to counter the exceptional speed
and skill of the Japanese. Close to the final minutes of the second
period, Jarrad Seymour found the net on a passing combination
from Mitch Villani and Davey Upton to give the Aussies their first
goal of the Championship. Team Japan recorded their second win
of the Championship with a final 7 – 1 score, the same result
as in their first game against Team Croatia. Matt Ezzy and Stu
Denman shared goaltending duties for the Aussies.
All teams had a day-off yesterday
in preparation for the next two days of games. The Aussies face
Team Lithuania tonight in what is expected to be a full house
of noisy Lithuanian fans

Australian 2009 National Senior Team Training
Camp
Ice Hockey Australia’s 2009 National Senior
Team arrived at Teen Ranch in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada last
week for seven days of intense training in preparation for the
IIHF 2009 World Division I Group B Championship in Vilnius, Lithuania
starting next week.
The Aussies played their first exhibition game
yesterday evening against the Mississauga Selects, a team comprised
of a mixture of University and Junior A players. Lliam Webster
led the way with a “hat trick” to give the Aussies
a 6 – 1 win over the visitors. Veteran goaltender, Matt
Ezzy was in the net for the Aussies.
In the first period, both teams played a cautious
and close game until Scott Stephenson notched the games first
goal with 4:34 remaining on a ‘tick-tack-toe’ passing
combination from defencemen, Jarrad Seymour and Rob Starke. Two
minutes later Harding and Oddy combined to feed Webster in the
slot for his first of the game. The period ended 2 – 0 in
favour of the Aussies.
The second period saw both teams step up the tempo.
At the 8:26 mark, David Dunwoodie skated through the offensive
pack to feed Greg Oddy on a breakaway, who made no mistake to
increase the Aussies lead to 3 – 0. The remainder of the
period remained scoreless.
Stu Denman replaced Ezzy in the third for the Aussies
with Aussie’s third goaltender, Anthony Kimlin between the
pipes for the visitors. At the 11:43 mark, Tomas Manco, unassisted
fired a Kimlin rebound to stretch the Aussies lead to 4 –
0. Two minutes later, the visitors notched their first and only
goal for the game taking the score to 4 – 1. At the 10:06
mark, Webster notched his second for the game, followed by his
third for a final score of 6 – 1 in favour of the Aussies.
Head Coach, Steve McKenna stated:- “This
was a good test for our boys and gave us a good indication on
our strengths and weaknesses. We’ll hit the ice again tomorrow
morning for a two hour session to work on our evaluations. I was
overly pleased with our play, especially with our younger players.
Mitch Villani is definitely at home with Oddy and Webster. Jarrad
Seymour, who will be playing for Cornell University starting next
season, has added depth to our defensive core.”
The Aussies have two more days of preparation
prior to departing for Lithuania on Wednesday.
IHA Announces 2009 National Senior Team Roster
Ross Noga, IHA’s NST-2009 Team Manager, formally
announced IHA’s 2009 National Senior Team roster for their
participation in the IIHF’s 2009 World Division I, Group
A Championship which is scheduled from the 11 – 17 April
2009 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Steve McKenna, the team’s head coach, stated:
"I am very excited about this year's team.
We have a great collection speed and size that should come together
well. Our returning veterans are going to be joined by some young
fresh faces that are getting their first taste of the National
Senior Team. I know that the older guys will mentor and lead the
way for the others so that no one will be left behind.
Last year's team made great strides in getting
us to Division I and this year's team will pick up where they
left off. It will be a great experience for all of us and I hope
that everyone enjoys it. It will require more out of these players
than they could ever realize.
The speed and pace of the game will be on a level
totally foreign to them. I've tried to convey to them the importance
of conditioning and preparation during the last few months leading
up to Lithuania. I am trusting that they will hit the ice in Toronto
at full speed and ready to do what it takes to win against actual
professional hockey players in Lithuania."
The team meets at Teen Ranch in Toronto for their
pre-championship training camp.
Team Roster:
GK - Stuart Denman - Melbourne, VIC
GK - Matt Ezzy - Newcastle, NSW
D - Jarred Seymour- Sydney, NSW
D - Robert Starke - Sydney, NSW (Captain)
D - Joshua Harding – Adelaide, SA
D - David Huxley – Adelaide, SA
D - David Dunwoodie – Sydney, NSW
D - Andrew White – Sydney, NSW (Asst. Captain)
D - Riccardo Del Basso – Perth, WA
F - Greg Oddy – Adelaide, SA
F - Todd Stephenson – Sydney, NSW
F - Lliam Webster – Melbourne, VIC
F - Vladan Stransky – Sydney, NSW
F - Vladimir Rubes – Sydney, NSW
F - Casey Minson – Newcastle, NSW
F - Scott Stephenson – Sydney, NSW (Asst. Captain)
F - Adrian Esposito – Sydney, NSW
F - Roberto Franchini – Sydney, NSW
F - David Upton – Brisbane, QLD
F - Mitchell Villani – Adelaide, SA
F - Bradley Young – Perth, WA
Team Chef de Mission – Kevin Brown,
Adelaide, SA
Team Manager – Ross Noga, Adelaide, SA
Team Coach – Steve McKenna, Adelaide, SA
Assistant Coach – Alain Shank, Ottawa, Canada
Team Medical Officer – Fred Stevenson, Newcastle, NSW
Equipment Officer – Ray Sheffield, Newcastle, NSW