New Zealand | |
Badge: | New Zealand ice hockey team Logo.png |
Badge Size: | 120px |
Association: | New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation |
Nickname: | Junior Ice Blacks |
General Manager: | Dave Fraser |
Coach: | Justin Daigle |
Asst Coach: | Andrew Spiller |
Captain: | Shaun Brown |
Most Games: | Joshua Hay (21) |
Top Scorer: | Joshua Hay (20) |
Most Points: | Joshua Hay (35) |
Iihf Code: | NZL |
First Game: | 3 - 2 (Sofia, Bulgaria; January 5, 2004) |
Largest Win: | 20 - 1 (Belgrade, Serbia; January 18, 2008) |
Largest Loss: | 19 - 0 (Bucharest, Romania; December 13, 2005) |
World Champ2 Name: | IIHF World U20 Championship |
World Champ2 Apps: | 16 |
World Champ2 First: | 2004 |
World Champ2 Best: | 34th (2006) |
Record: | 34-37-1 |
The New Zealand men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team of New Zealand. The team is controlled by the New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation.
New Zealand played its first game in 2004 against Turkey during the Division III tournament of the 2004 IIHF World U20 Championship.[1] New Zealand won the game 3–2. The following year New Zealand gained promotion to Division II after finishing second in the Division III tournament of the 2005 IIHF World U20 Championship. During the 2006 Division II Group A tournament New Zealand suffered their worst defeat in international competition, losing to the Netherlands men's national junior ice hockey team 0–19.[1] The team continued to compete at the World Championships up until 2008 where they gained promotion after winning the Division III tournament. During the tournament they also achieved their largest ever victory in international competition when they defeated Turkey 20–1.[1] In 2009 New Zealand did not send a team to compete in the 2009 IIHF World U20 Championship but returned the following year to compete in the 2010 Division III tournament. In 2012 they finished third in the Division III tournament held in Dunedin, New Zealand.[1] [2]
Chris Eaden currently holds the team record for most points with 28 all of which he scored during the 2008 IIHF World U20 Championship, his only appearance for the New Zealand under-20 team.[3] [4]