During that time, the Ice Fernz focused on coming together as a team with practices at York University. There they worked on their systems before challenging themselves against tough local competition in preparation for the upcoming IIHF Division II Group B Women’s World Championship in Spain.

Their desire to test themselves saw the Ice Fernz competing in the 39th annual Leaside Wildcats March Break Madness tournament, one of the city’s largest competitions for women’s hockey. Entered into the Senior A division, New Zealand did not win a game but captain Helen Murray believes the experience was influential on the team. “It’s been incredibly valuable to play against high level women’s teams in the lead up to Spain…we just don’t have access to this level of women’s hockey in New Zealand so that’s been important for our development as a team,” said Murray.

Aside from the six games of hockey played during training camp, the Ice Fernz were also de facto ambassadors of New Zealand and it’s hockey program. Taking in games from the CWHL, the Ontario Hockey League, the AHL and NHL – plus a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame – it’s the kind of trip that many hockey mad Kiwis would be envious of.

Their first stop was Markham, Ontario where the Fernz took in the spectacle of the traveling hockey festival known as Hometown Hockey, a show hosted by legendary broadcaster Ron MacLean that airs on Sportsnet.

The city, 45-minutes north of downtown Toronto, is known for producing NHL talent such as Steven Stamkos, Jeff Skinner and Mitch Marner, but it’s also home to the CWHL’s Markham Thunder.

Two of their players, Laura Fortino and Laura Stacey represented Canada at the recent PyeongChang Winter Olympics where they lost in the gold medal game to Team USA. With those silver medals in hand, Helen and the rest of the Ice Fernz had the opportunity to meet with the Olympians while taking in the CWHL game between the Thunder and the Calgary Inferno.

The Canadian Women’s Hockey League is a competitive league that is going from strength to strength, featuring teams from Montreal, Toronto, Markham, Calgary, and Boston, plus two from China.

For the first time this season, the CWHL began paying its players – providing a potential pathway for young women who are lacing up their skates and wanting to pursue a playing career in hockey like their male counterparts. When asked if she thought it were possible for Kiwi girls to make it in the CWHL, Murray stated “I don’t think we could currently compete with the speed at that level, but it’s something to aspire to.”

The Ice Fernz’s ambassador duties didn’t end there that night. Standing beside alternate captain Anjali Mulari, Murray appeared on the CWHL’s broadcast of the Thunder/Inferno game where they talked about the state of New Zealand’s game and their inline hockey origins during a second intermission interview.

That wasn’t the only media attention they received during their stay. They were also interviewed by The Globe And Mail’s Rachel Brady where they described Toronto as ‘hockey heaven.’

While speaking to Puck Yeah before the Ice Fernz departed for Spain, Murray added “It’s awesome that the media over here are so interested in our program. Everyone we’ve talked to loves New Zealand and is excited that we are developing the women’s game.”

Along with the CWHL game, the Ice Fernz captain says a personal highlight of her time in Canada would have to be witnessing her first NHL game.

That game was last Saturday’s controversial clash between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. The controversy came from Brian Dumoulin’s disallowed goal where he was given a penalty for goaltender interference instead of being rewarded with what would have been a career highlight goal that cut the Leafs’ lead down to two. Toronto scored on the ensuing 4-on-3 powerplay before winning 5-2, their first after a four game losing skid.

Drama aside, the real takeaway from that night was the fact that in front of a sold-out crowd at the Air Canada Centre, the Toronto Maple Leafs gave a special shout out to the Ice Fernz during a break in play. Now 18,000 more people know that New Zealand plays hockey and we have a national women’s team to be proud of, just as the Canadians do.

A true testament to how important the Ice Fernz hockey program is to these girls is seeing players who have previously worn the black jersey visit the team to reconnect and show their support. Two such players who did so during their camp in Toronto were goaltender Grace Harrison, whom recently wrapped up her third season with the St. Lawrence University Saints, and Renata Gottgtroy, whom lives and trains in nearby York, ON.

Another former Ice Fern that has come back to the program is Kiri Langford. She currently works in Scarborough, ON as a strength and conditioning coach for the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario and is applying her expertise to the Fernz’s 2018 campaign as an assistant coach. Murray spoke highly of Langford’s involvement with the team, “She inspires her teammates to challenge themselves and improve as an all-round athlete, and that has always had an impact on me.”

After a robust training camp and awareness campaign for New Zealand hockey, the Ice Fernz have now landed in Valdemoro, Spain where they will begin their World Championship campaign this Sunday (NZ time).

Taking home the bronze medal last year, the team are now ranked second but they have their sights firmly set on gold. Standing in their way will be top ranked hosts Spain, third seed Iceland, plus Romania, Chinese Taipei and Turkey.

The captain believes the team’s biggest asset is their passion and that their determination on the ice has made all the difference in the past when playing tight games against highly-skilled opposition.

However, that doesn’t mean the Ice Fernz will be taking this tournament lightly. “We know Spain and Iceland will be tough opponents. We had an overtime loss to Spain and a gutsy 4-3 win over Iceland last year so we have a lot to prove against both of those teams,” Murray said before adding “We had convincing wins over Turkey and Romania but they are both hard-working teams that we never underestimate, and Chinese Taipei dominated the qualification division last year so we are expecting them to be formidable as well.”

Murray believes what motivates her to lead the Fernz are those very same teammates, both past and present, who have to pay their own way (around $5,000 NZ dollars) to play for their country. “Everyone that plays for the Fernz is juggling full-time work or study…It’s pure passion for the game and for New Zealand that gets us here and that always inspires me,” said the captain. But one player who influenced Murray in particular is her predecessor Sheree Haslemore. “She was a fantastic captain during my first years with the team. Her work ethic and composure are qualities I try to emulate.”

With five other teams in the week-long tournament, the schedule is compact. The penultimate game of the World Championship will be a battle of the top two seeds, as the Ice Fernz take on Spain. With the results being decided on points, that matchup could very well determine the exact medal placings for the teams.

Schedule for the 2018 IIHF Division II Group B Women’s World Championship:
March 18 @ 1:00am – NZ vs Romania
March 19 @ 4:30am – NZ vs Iceland
March 21 @ 4:30am – NZ vs Chinese Taipei
March 22 @ 1:00am – NZ vs Turkey
March 24 @ 4:30am – NZ vs Spain

All times are in NZDT. All games will be live streamed on YouTube and Puck Yeah will be posting highlight packages of each Ice Fernz game to Facebook.

The Auckland-based defender was initially named as a reserve when the squad was announced in September last year, and at the time, Parker said she was “screaming for a solid five minutes.” That elation went further after finding out a week later that she would now be making the journey to Malaysia alongside her teammates when another had to unfortunately drop out. “It was out of this world, I’ve never felt happier in my life, it was amazing,” Parker exclaimed upon hearing the good news.

Over the past week, the Under-18s have been together completing a rigorous training camp in Auckland under the guidance of head coach Angelique Mawson. There the team focussed on improving breakouts from their own zone and regrouping to attack.

From following the recent women’s tournament at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Parker found herself more inspired to compete in Kuala Lumpur as she watched the likes of Team Canada and Team USA putting into practice those very same drills. “To be able to see the drills that we’re doing applied at such a high level is really cool…they were playing really well, the speed and accuracy, it was really easy to see when they applied their drills to the game,” said Parker.

During training camp, the New Zealanders were also put through their paces with fitness testing on a hot, humid Auckland day – that’s only a sample of the intense heat that will likely greet the team in Malaysia. With temperatures in Kuala Lumpur set to reach over 30 degrees celsius this week it’s just as well ice hockey is played inside a freezing barn, rather than being exposed to the elements like their field hockey counterparts would be.

As far as team strengths go, Parker believes it’s their ability to defend well and keep the puck in the offensive zone. Other teams will find it hard to score if New Zealand manage to control the play so effectively, as was the case at the 2017 Challenge Cup where the team scored 57 goals while only allowing nine in return.

Last night the team named Laney Keenan as captain, with Jana Kivell and Rina Watt serving as alternates.

Last year for the first time in the ten-year history of the Challenge Cup of Asia tournament, New Zealand sent a team over where they would go undefeated with a 6-0 record, including a 4-3 upset win over host nation Thailand, to claim the gold medal.

The Challenge Cup was created by the IIHF to give Asian countries that either play in the lowest division or are not part of the World Championship program the opportunity to complete and develop hockey in those regions.

In 2017 there were seven teams in a single division, but now with Chinese Taipei sending their own under-18 team this year, the tournament has been split into two divisions. New Zealand make up the top division with Singapore, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei. While the lower division comprises of India, the Philippines, Malaysia, and United Arab Emirates.

Once again, Thailand will likely be New Zealand’s biggest challenge at the tournament. But it may be a tougher ask this time around with the Kiwis playing back-to-back games – less than 24 hours before that penultimate matchup they will face Chinese Taipei.

Heather McAslan, Parker’s roommate during training camp, added “We played Thailand last year and the game was only won by one goal, so they’re pretty good…and we’re not really sure how the other (countries) play, so you’ve got to get there and figure out how they play before you can figure out how you play them.”

The fact that these girls are taking on the senior national sides of other countries is also not lost on them. “It’s quite nerve-racking,” McAslan concluded before Parker interjects with a low-key “We’ve got this.”

With the tournament taking place in March, for these young athletes it occurs during the first term of the school year. To make up for the time lost in the classroom, schools supply the team with “massive” folders of homework so they don’t fall behind their classmates. On top of that, some of the girls have to complete internal exams much earlier than their peers, in McAslan’s case it’s four weeks, while others play catch up on assignments and sit exams when they get back.

Being her first international hockey tournament, Parker is looking forward to the learning experience that comes with that and is earnest about her own performance expectations. “As a rookie I’m probably not going to be doing that great, but I’m just going to be giving it absolutely everything I’ve got and I’m sure the rest of the girls are in that same mindset too,” Parker stated.

But her biggest highlight could be putting on that black jersey representing New Zealand. “It means everything in the world to me. I’ve been imagining just putting on this amazing jersey with my name on the back for months and months. I’m so excited, I’m so pumped to be representing my country in such an awesome sport.”

Combining that confidence in her team with a tireless dedication to the cause, it’s hard to argue with the rookie on New Zealand’s chances of returning home with another gold medal around their necks.

New Zealand’s schedule for the 2018 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia:
March 8 @ 8:30pm – New Zealand v Singapore
March 11 @ Midnight – New Zealand v Chinese Taipei
March 11 @ 8:30pm – New Zealand v Thailand

All times are in NZDT.

Between then and now, Harrison has earned 14 shutouts in her collegiate career, tied for the second most by a goalie in the St. Lawrence hockey program. The record is currently held by 2008 alumni Meghan Guckian with 17.

In her latest start Harrison turned away 28 shots, helping the Saints improve their record to 14-7-3 overall, including 10-3-1 in ECAC play.

Watch a quick recap of the game below, thanks to Harvard Athletics!

H/T: St. Lawrence University and Harvard University

New Zealand’s national men’s hockey team, the Ice Blacks, have recently seen assistant coach Anatoly Khorozov take over the reins as head coach from Maru Rout. His first assignment is the IIHF Division 2 – Group B World Championship in Spain this April, where NZ face old rivals Mexico, along with Spain, Israel, DPR Korea, plus the recently promoted Luxembourg.

A strong extended training squad was announced back in October and the traveling team will be named next month. After finishing with silver last year and remaining in the same division, anything less than winning gold and earning a promotion to Division 2 – Group A will be seen as a disappointment.

New Zealand Under-20s

New Zealand’s under-20 men’s national team (more affectionately known as the ‘Junior Ice Blacks’) has also seen a coaching change with Justin Daigle now running the bench.

While playing for the West Auckland Admirals as a crucial part of their blueline, Daigle has been transitioning further into coaching roles. In 2017 he served as assistant coach for the Junior Ice Blacks at the IIHF Division 3 World Championship held in Dunedin, working with fellow coaches Matt Sanford, Perry Wilson and Anatoly Khorozov, who has now moved into the head coaching position with the Ice Blacks.

Next month’s Division 3 tournament in Bulgaria is his first big test – coaching an under-20s squad full of promising junior players (including Moses Bygate-Smith, Ryan Martinoli, and Ben Harford) to reach their goal: winning the gold medal game.

The last time the Junior Ice Blacks made it to Division 2 was back in 2009. Unfortunately the team were unable to compete that year due to the financial constraints that can come with traveling around the world for these tournaments, subsequently New Zealand has remained in the third division ever since. They will need to come out on top over Australia, Bulgaria, China, Iceland and Israel if they were to be promoted – considering recent strong showings by some of those nations, it’s a hard task but it’s certainly not a challenge that Daigle and his team will shy away from.

Side note: The only IIHF tournament New Zealand will host this year is the Men’s Under-18 Division 3 – Group B World Championship at the Queenstown Ice Arena in April.

Ice Fernz

In March New Zealand’s national women’s team, the Ice Fernz, will be travelling to Spain for the IIHF Division 2 – Group B tournament where they will be up against Iceland, Turkey, Romania, Chinese Taipei, plus the host country. Led by captain/scientist Helen Murray with former Botany Swarm head coach Andreas Kaisser calling the shots from the bench, the Ice Fernz will be looking to improve upon their bronze medal placing at last year’s tournament in Iceland.

Also in March, the Women’s Under-18 development side will be in Kuala Lumpur for the 2018 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia. Having won the tournament in their first attempt last year, they will be back to defend their gold medal status in the top division against Thailand, Singapore, and Chinese Taipei U18.

The 2018 NZIHL Season

The Skycity Stampede were on a roll this past NZIHL season as they secured their third championship in a row – joining the Canterbury Red Devils as the only other club to accomplish such a feat. However, the 2017 title may need to come with an asterisk after news broke last month that Mitchell and Lachlan Frear were suspended for two years by the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand after they were found guilty of naively buying the banned substance Clenbuterol online.

So, that brings us to the 2018 season. Ultimately I don’t see the Stampede finishing as champions again, but it could be a year where counting out any team is a risky move.

The West Auckland Admirals have gone from strength to strength over the past couple of years and will be looking to avenge their Birgel Cup finals defeat. The Botany Swarm have shaken up their front office and coaching staff in a move that could reinstall a winning culture that saw the East Auckland side previously dominate the league. The Dunedin Thunder were the dark horse of the 2017 season and continue to improve as they aim to go one step further and secure a finals berth, meanwhile the Canterbury Red Devils need to recover from a lacklustre campaign that saw them at the bottom of the table for the first time since 2005, the NZIHL’s inaugural season.

Mix in the league’s involvement with the 2018 Ice Hockey League, next season is hopefully one that will pack out the local arenas as New Zealand’s top hockey clubs battle it out for the Birgel Cup and the Toa Kauhanga Riri Tio challenge trophy.

Ice Hockey Classic

Last month the 2018 Ice Hockey Classic was announced, generating a positive buzz on social media for the USA vs Canada exhibition series that sees a three-game tour played in Auckland, Queenstown and Wellington. The latter is set to be an outdoor spectacle at Westpac Stadium similar to what is seen with the NHL’s Winter Classic.

As the curtain raiser for the main event in Auckland there will be a regular season NZIHL game played between the West Auckland Admirals and Botany Swarm. The prospect of playing at Spark Arena to a crowd of prospective new fans is thrilling for those involved – including Botany Swarm head coach Ian Wannamaker who sees this as a great stage to demonstrate the fierce cross-town rivalry his team has with the Admirals, “I would expect there to be some sort of fireworks, if not actual fireworks, definitely a lot of fierce competition on the ice. No one will want to lose and both teams will play very hard and want to not only win but to show the NZ fans who is the top Auckland based club.”

The Ice Blacks will play at the Westpac Stadium outdoor game against a NZIHL All-Stars squad made up of import players from all five teams across the league. It’s a smart initiative by TEG Live and the NZIHF to team up and help give the country’s top-tier clubs, plus the national side, a welcome increase in exposure. Who knows, this may inspire more youth across the country to lace up a pair of skates and grab a stick? Either way, it’s a must-see event for any sporting fan.

The Continuing Rise of Grace Harrison

This is one of my favourite ongoing stories in New Zealand hockey, perhaps NZ sport in general.

Typically goalie Grace Harrison flies under the radar but the coaching staff at St. Lawrence University aren’t afraid to sing her praises. Saints head coach Chris Wells told reporter Carlos Verde that despite coming in as the team’s third-string netminder, it didn’t take her long to earn the starting role, saying “She chipped away, worked hard, and by mid-January (in her first year) she was our starting goalie and really carried the bulk of playing time.”

By the end of her rookie season Harrison finished with a 7-7-6 record, posting a 2.14 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. Harrison pushed that performance to the next level as a sophomore – for the 2016-17 season she was named as part of the Second-Team All-ECAC Hockey team while also being nominated as a ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year finalist. As her play advanced, so did her numbers with an incredible 23-6-4 record, 1.62 GAA and a .923 save percentage to go along with her record-breaking nine shutouts – the most by any goalie in the Saints program.

Now well into her third season, Grace Harrison remains a key part of the St. Lawrence roster and this weekend came back from the holiday break with a two-game series against Lindenwood at the Honda Center – home of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.

Starting in the second game, Harrison backstopped the Saints to a 3-2 overtime win that improves the 10th-ranked Saints to 10-7-3. Standing in the same crease that is typically home to John Gibson or Ryan Miller will be an experience to savour for this young athlete, but there’s still plenty of hockey to be played before the season wraps up in March.

2018 is going to be an action-packed year for New Zealand ice hockey. What are you most looking forward to?

(Main photo: Mike Froger)

Such is the case for Fuchsia Davidson, who has been selected as part of the New Zealand Ice Fernz squad for the 2018 IIHF Women’s Div2B World Championship in Valdemoro, Spain. The tournament takes place March 17-23, but before she can get there, Fuchsia is getting creative to raise those much-needed funds.

This Sunday (December 10th) at 12:30pm, the rookie Ice Fern is hosting a special advanced screenings of the latest Woody Harrelson film ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ at Event Cinemas Broadway (Newmarket, Auckland).

If you need another reason to come out, watch the trailer – not only does the film have a stellar cast including Harrelson and Peter Dinklage, but if you have a twisted sense of humour, this could be your favourite movie of the summer season.

According to Flicks, ‘Three Billboards’ won’t be released in New Zealand theatres until January 1st but they’ve already given it a five-star rating, calling it “The rarest of cinematic treats.” So you’re getting to see a good movie early plus you’ll be helping in sending one of Auckland’s young athletes to Spain to represent her country on the ice. It’s win-win!

For ticket purchases, email Fuchsia at [email protected]

As we’re made aware of other fundraising efforts to help send the Ice Fernz to Spain we will update our website with further information.

The 2018 selections include 18 skaters, 2 goalies, plus 3 reserve players.

Auckland: Jana Kivell, Samara Campton, Jamie Kaisser.

Canterbury: Phoebe Thompson, Katelyn Heyrick, Brooke Whitman, Ellie Dugdale, Millicent Smith, Alyssa Murphy, Lilly Forbes (G).

Southern: Heather McAsian, Erin Marshall, Laney Keenan, Rina Watt, Georgia Reynolds, Brittany Tiller, Hannah Cross, Beth Scott, Gabby Mills, Ashley Dickinson (G).

Reserves: Jessica Parker (Auckland), Lisa Christie (Canterbury), Alexandra Buckley (Canterbury).

Main photo: Jonathan Albright