This post was originally published on this site.
The SSE Arena in Belfast will host ice hockey’s inaugural 3ICE World Cup next summer.
Belfast Giants head coach Adam Keefe will take charge of Great Britain with USA, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria also taking part in the two-day competition on 4 and 5 July.
Launched in 2022, 3ICE centres around the three-on-three format that ice hockey fans are accustomed to seeing when games go to overtime.
There are two eight-minute period of continuous play, with the clock stopping only for penalties and injuries. Squads are seven players strong with six skaters and one goaltender.
“It’s exciting for the city to get to host an event like this,” Keefe told BBC Sport NI.
“Three-on-three ice hockey is exciting and fast. You can see at the Belfast Giants, when it goes to overtime, it’s pretty exciting and nerve-wracking as a coach, but it’s something to get behind.
“As a coach, sometimes you go into those games and it’s a flip of the coin who is going to win because three-on three-changes the game dramatically and makes for some exciting entertainment.”
‘This format allows players to show a bit more skill’
Keefe, who has been at the helm at the Giants since 2017, says he has a “tough choice” when deciding who will make up his seven-strong panel for GB to make sure they are “right up there”.
He did, however, highlight some key traits he is looking for players to possess to cope with the demands of the faster-paced game.
“Speed is one of them, the ability to beat a player one-on-one, but you need players who can put the puck in the net too and we’re looking for a combination of those types of talent: speed, skill and sniper,” he explained.
“We have a lot of good players that are capable of participating and to play against the best countries in the world and represent their country is pretty cool.
“It’s a chance to show your skillset off, when it is five v five there are a lot of bodies out there, this format allows players to show a bit more skill and a bit more of their talent level.”
There is an expectation that, given its increasing popularity, three-on-three hockey will join the Winter Olympics from 2030, something Keefe is hopeful the success of the inaugural World Cup in Belfast can help make a reality.
“That’s what they’re pushing for, it to be a mainstream sport and adding a new event like this you can showcase real skillsets and what hockey can provide. Hopefully it can continue to grow.”
