Australia rally together the last time the side played Romania at the 2015 IIHF World Championships in Iceland. Picture: Elvar Freyr Pálsson
A new-look Australian Mighty Roos team will take on the world at the 2017 IIHF Division 2 Group A World Championships in Romania from April 3-9.
Australia will have 10 new faces in the 2017 edition of the event, including eight debutants for the senior mens team.
The Melbourne Ice’s Jack Carpenter and Chris Wong, Perth Thunder’s Kieren Webster and Jamie Woodman, and CBR Brave’s Kai Miettinen are all former junior Australian representatives.
Former imports Josef Rezek from the Adelaide Adrenaline and the Newcastle North Stars’ John Kennedy have also received citizenship, while Beau Taylor from the North Stars is available for the first time.
Billy Cliff will return to the side in 2017.
The schedule for Australia, ranked 36th in the world in men’s hockey, for the division 2 group A world championships is:
– Monday April 3, 8pm AEST/7.30pm ACST/6pm AWST – Vs Serbia (31st)
– Tuesday April 4, 8pm AEST/7.30pm ACST/6pm AWST – Vs Iceland (35th)
– Thursday April 6, 11.30pm AEST/11pm ACST/9.30pm AWST – Vs Spain (30th)
– Friday April 7, 3am AEST/2.30am ACST/1am AWST – Vs Romania (29th)
– Sunday April 9, 8pm AEST/7.30pm ACST/6pm AWST – Vs Belgium (32nd)
At last years’ division 2 group B world championships in Mexico City, Australia returned to the group A after finishing undefeated with a points differential of +48 (58-10) in five games.
Australia had the top four point scorers in the five games with Wehebe Darge (11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points), Cameron Todd (8 goals, 13 assists, 21 points), Lliam Webster (5 goals, 11 assists, 16 points) and Mitch Humphries (8 goals, 5 assists, 13 points).
Paul Baranzelli and Anthony Kimlin were also named defenceman and goalkeeper of the tournament respectively.
Read more about the 2017 division 2 group A world championships at: www.iihf.com/competition/600/
Forwards
Billy Cliff (Sydney Ice Dogs)
Pat Nadin (Newcastle Northstars)
Wehebe Darge (Adelaide Adrenaline)
Mitch Humphries (Melbourne Ice)
Kai Miettinen (CBR Brave)
Tommy Powell (Melbourne Ice)
Josef Rezek (Adelaide Adrenaline)
Beau Taylor (Newcastle North Stars)
Richard Tesarik (Sydney Bears)
Cameron Todd (Sydney Bears)
Kieren Webster (Perth Thunder)
Chris Wong (Melbourne Ice)
Defencemen
Paul Baranzelli (Melbourne Ice)
Jack Carpenter (Melbourne Ice)
John Kennedy (Newcastle North Stars)
Mathew Lindsay (Newcastle North Stars)
Robert Malloy (Newcastle North Stars)
Lliam Webster (Melbourne Ice)
Jamie Woodman (Perth Thunder)
Brian Funes (Sydney Bears)
Goalkeepers
Anthony Kimlin (Sydney Bears)
Charlie Smart (Newcastle North Stars)
Head Coach Brad Vigon
Assistant Coach Matti Luoma
Chef de Mission Steve Ransome
Medical Officer Dr Daniel George
Equipment Manager Petr Cirkl
Team Manager Ian Webster
Ins: Jack Carpenter (Melbourne Ice), Billy Cliff (Sydney Bears), Darren Corstens (Adelaide Adrenaline), John Kennedy (Newcastle North Stars), Kai Miettinen (CBR Brave), Josef Rezek (Adelaide Adrenaline), Beau Taylor (Newcastle North Stars), Kieren Webster (Perth Thunder), Chris Wong (Melbourne Ice), Jamie Woodman (Perth Thunder)
Outs: James Byers (CBR Brave), Sean Jones (Melbourne Mustangs), Jordan Kyros (Perth Thunder), Austin McKenzie (Melbourne Ice), Matt Stringer (Melbourne Mustangs), Michael Schlamp (Sydney Bears), Mark Rummukainen (CBR Brave)
Debutants: Jack Carpenter (Melbourne Ice), John Kennedy (Newcastle North Stars), Kai Miettinen (CBR Brave), Josef Rezek (Adelaide Adrenaline), Beau Taylor (Newcastle North Stars), Kieren Webster (Perth Thunder), Chris Wong (Melbourne Ice), Jamie Woodman (Perth Thunder)