Ice Hockey

The XXI Olympic Games Ice Hockey Event

Ice hockey is essentially a team sport that is particularly played out on ice. In this game the skaters make use of their sticks in order to direct the puck in to the goal of the opponent team. This is a vehement physical sport of the fastest category. The sport of ice hockey is exceptionally popular in particular areas that are more or less cold all throughout the year and experience a consistent seasonal ice cover. These would include places like Canada, the Nordic countries including Finland and Sweden, the northern parts of United States, Czech Republic, the Baltic States, Slovakia and Russia.

Moreover, this game has nowadays become a year round sport thanks to the artificial indoor ice rinks. It is one of the four major professional sports in North America and also an official games category in the Winter Olympics.

Venue:

The ice hockey event at the Winter Olympics Vancouver 2010 is scheduled to be held at the General Motors Place and at the UBC Winter Sports Centre. The former is the home to the famed National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks whiles the later houses the Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s UBC Thunderbirds. The General Motors Place has a spectator capacity of 18,810 while the UBC Winter Sports Centre can house 7,200 spectators at a single go.

All through the period of the Winter Olympic Games which is from the 12th of February till the 28th of February, the General Motors Place will be renamed as the Canada Hockey Place. This is so because no Olympic venue is eligible to take a corporate sponsorship.

Schedule:

Here’s the official schedule for the ice hockey events at the Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010.

• February 13th, 2010: Sweden versus Switzerland 12:00hrs, Canada versus Slovakia 17:00hrs
• February 14, 2010: United States versus China 12:00hrs, Finland versus Russian Federation 16:30hrs
• February 15, 2010: Switzerland versus Canada 14:30hrs, Sweden versus Slovakia 19:00hrs
• February 16, 2010: United States versus Switzerland 12:00hrs, Russian Federation versus United States 14:30hrs, Canada versus Norway 16:30hrs
• February 17, 2010: Finland versus Belarus 12:00hrs, Canada versus Sweden 14:30hrs, Sweden versus Germany 16:30hrs, Slovakia versus Switzerland 19:00hrs, Czech Republic versus Slovakia 21:00hrs
• February 18, 2010: United States versus Norway 12:00hrs, United States versus Finland 14:30hrs, Switzerland versus Canada 16:30hrs
• February 19, 2010: Belarus versus Sweden 12:00hrs, Czech Republic versus Latvia 16:30hrs, Finland versus Germany 21:00hrs
• February 20, 2010: Norway versus Switzerland 12:00hrs, Latvia versus Slovakia 16:30hrs, Germany versus Belarus 21:00hrs
• February 21, 2010: The Russian Federation versus Czech Republic 12:00om, Canada versus United States 16:40hrs
• February 22, 2010: 12:00hrs Women’s Play off Semifinal, Women’s Classifications 17:00hrs
• February 23, 2010: 12:00hrs Men’s Play off Qualifications, 16:3hrs Men’s Play off Qualifications, 19:00hrs Men’s Play off Qualifications, 21:00hrs Men’s Play off Qualifications
• February 24, 2010: 12:00hrs Men’s Play off, 16:30hrs Men’s Play off, 19:00hrs Men’s Play off Quarterfinals, 21:00hrs Men’s Play off Quarterfinals
• February 25, 26, 27, 28, 2010: Medal event

Competitor Names:

There will be 12 teams participating in the men’s ice hockey tournament this time,

Group A: Norway, Canada, United States, Switzerland

Group B: Russia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovakia

Group C: Finland, Sweden, Germany, Belarus

The women’s tournament will have 8 teams participating including,

Group A: Canada, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland

Group B: United States, Russia, China, Finland

Accommodation:

For accommodation around the UBC Winter Sports Centre region, you may consider rental accommodation at $400 per night. You may also hire houses or apartments available within 5 minutes walking distance from the venue. The apartment amenities that you would get to avail would include furnished dinning and living rooms with kitchen amenities and even utensils.

Now coming to the General Motor Place, suitable accommodation in the area that you may consider would include, Vancouver vacation rentals, condos, rental apartments, travel lodgings, hotels and motels, etc.

Tickets:

The tickets for the Ice Hockey event will be available at the ticket box offices that are situated at the intersecting point between the Agronomy Road and the Westbrook Mall. You will find the ticket resolution bench at the spectator entrance. Moreover, after every session for this event you will be required to leave the seating arena and re-enter once the next session starts.