Goodall Cup Finals at Icehouse

The Australian Ice Hockey league celebrates its 10th anniversary at Melbourne's new Docklands Olympic dual-rink venue, the Icehouse.

Each season the best four ice hockey teams in Australia meet to play for the Goodall Cup, continuing a 101 year old tradition first played for by New South Wales and Victoria in 1909 in Melbourne.

The finals tournament consists of two sudden-death semi-finals on the Saturday, followed by the grand final on the Sunday evening in order to crown the Australian Champions.

The 2010 finals signify a milestone, both for Victoria's ice hockey scene and the AIHL. The Australian Ice Hockey League has progressed from the original three teams (Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney) into a steady league of seven teams, now including Melbourne, Gold Coast, Newcastle and a second Sydney team.

The new Icehouse facility is an Australian first, with two rinks, 1000 seats over the main rink (fully glassed), and change rooms, catering and corporate facilities necessary to host ice sports events and Australia's Winter Olympic Institute. While the four finalists teams are yet to be determined, Melbourne Ice currently sit in second place and seem fairly secure of being able to play host to another three teams on the last weekend of August, the 28th and 29th.

League chairman Tim Frampton says that the Icehouse is an ideal venue for this year's finals tournament.

"It is only fitting that the elite mens ice hockey competition in Australia is being played at arguably the elite hockey rink in the country.

"Melbourne Ice has been bringing in crowds where there is standing room only at all their games at the Icehouse, and ice hockey is winning strong recognition in Victoria.

"This year's finals are a great opportunity to showcase the ‘coolest game on earth’ in a world class venue."

Tickets are expected to go on sale at the end of July, with generous packages and family passes to be offered.

http://theaihl.com