BCIHLers to face off vs. Kazakhstan World Juniors in pre-tournament games

Trinity Western University’s men’s hockey team will host a three-game College Hockey Showcase featuring Kazakhstan’s national junior team in mid-December as part of Kazakhstan’s preparations for the IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria.

Kazakhstan’s pre-tournament training camp will be based out of the Langley Events Centre, which will give the team the opportunity to compete in games against the University of Victoria (Dec. 11), Trinity Western University (Dec. 13) and a BCIHL All-Star team (Dec. 17).

Following the College Hockey Showcase, the Kazakhstan national junior team will continue its preparations for the World Junior Championship, which has the team opening its competition against Finland Dec. 27th in Victoria.

Kazakhstan is in a preliminary round pool that also features the United States, Slovakia and Sweden.

As part of the Kazakhstan training camp, the team will be partnering with BC Hockey to host a “Hockey Day in Langley” event Dec. 10th that will allow local minor hockey teams and academies an opportunity to meet the Kazakhstan team and take part in a skills competition.

Coaches will also have a chance to meet and learn from some international-level coaches.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for people to see some international hockey matched up against some of the top college hockey players in British Columbia,” said TWU coach Barret Kropf. “While most of our roster is made up of WHL and BCHL graduates, many have never had the chance to compete on the international stage. This is a chance for them to gain that experience and it’s a chance of a lifetime for players to compete with the Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation squad."

“We are excited for the College Hockey Showcase to show off the great college hockey being played in B.C., as well as give the Kazakhstan team the time they need to prepare for the World Junior Championship. I’m also very excited for the ‘Hockey Day In Langley’ event, which will give a chance for coaches to learn from some top-level coaches and minor hockey players to take part in a skills competition alongside the World Championship players.”

For more information on the “Hockey Day in Langley” event, contact Barret Kropf (barret.kropf@twu.ca).

Kazakhstan is returning to the championship tournament having earned promotion last year after winning the Division I A tournament. The last time Kazakhstan competed in the top-level championship tournament was in 2009, when the team finished 10th. Kazakhstan’s best result at the World Junior Championship was in 1999, when they finished sixth overall.

The defending BCIHL champion Trinity Western men’s hockey team is 5-0 in the regular season. The Spartans play Selkirk in a pair of games on the road this weekend.
 

COLLEGE HOCKEY SHOWCASE SCHEDULE
(All Games at the Langley Events Centre)

Tuesday – Dec. 11 – Kazakhstan vs. University of Victoria
Thursday – Dec. 13 – Kazakhstan vs. Trinity Western University
Monday – Dec. 17 – Kazakhstan vs. BCIHL All-Stars

CLICK TO BUY TICKETS

Single-Game Tickets:
Adult - $17
Youth - $7

Three-Game Package:
Adults - $35
Youth - $15