Australia has claimed the 2011 World Championship Division II title after a
thrilling victory over Serbia at the Medibank Icehouse.
The Australian Men's Ice Hockey team (the Mighty Roos) secured a 4-2 victory over the higher-ranked Serbian side, 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 have 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 2011 IIHF World Championship Division II ran from 4 to 10 April 2011. The energy and excitement of the tournament has left a strong impact on Melbournians who have fallen for the fast-paced action, skills and intensity of elite Ice Hockey.
The Docklands, Medibank Icehouse hosted all 10 matches with sold out crowds at every Australian game. The Medibank Icehouse also opened its second rink for hundreds of fans to watch the final event 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
www.iihf.com