Australia wins divisional victory

Australia won the 2011 World Championship Division II title after a thrilling victory over Serbia last month at the Medibank Icehouse in Docklands.

The Australian Men’s Ice Hockey team (the Mighty Roos) secured a 4-2 victory over the higher-ranked Serbian side on April 10, becoming 2011 IIHF World Championship Division II champions and gaining promotion to Division I in 2012.

The Serbian team scored the first goal of the match – leaving Australian fans feeling that the Mighty Roos’ fairytale run of success may be drawing to a close.

That was until Australian captain, Greg Oddy, scored the team’s opening goal in the first period, equalising with Serbia at the eight-minute mark.

Mighty Roos players David Upton, Joseph Hughes and Lliam Webster followed suit, each with a goal to their name in the hard-fought victory over Serbia.

The Mighty Roos moved through the week-long round-robin tournament undefeated with impressive wins over Mexico (11-1), Belgium (5-3) and New Zealand (2-0).

The energy and excitement of the tournament has left a strong impact on Melburnians who have fallen for the fast-paced action, skills and intensity of elite Ice Hockey.

The Icehouse hosted all 10 matches with sold out crowds at every Australian game. It also opened its second rink for hundreds of fans to watch the final live on the big screen.

The World Championship is the ‘ice’ on the cake for the Medibank Icehouse. In its first year of operation the centre has bought success back to Australian ice sports:

Australia claimed the 2011 World Division II Ice Hockey Championship title

Melbourne Ice Men’s team won the 2010 National League Championship for the first time

Melbourne Ice Women’s team won the 2010 National League Championships for the first time

All other Victorian teams from Junior to Seniors won or were runner up in their Divisions in 2010, making Victoria the most successful state in 100 years of Ice Hockey

17 National Speed Skating records were broken at National Titles in 2010

Novice Men’s National Figure Skating Champion, Alex Dillon, won the crown at National Championships in 2010

Victorian Curler, Vaughan Rosier, has been selected for the Australian National team

Final results of the 2011 IIHF World Championship and game summaries have been posted on the International Ice Hockey Federation website http://www.iihf.com.