Tricksters and lacrosse
Lacrosse-Hockey doubleheader in Slovakia discussed
31.05.2011 source: ILINDOOR.COM
A delegation from the leading hockey team in Slovakia has met with Team Canada lacrosse executives to continue plans for a lacrosse-hockey doubleheader in Bratislava in the autumn.
“The purpose will be to showcase an indoor lacrosse game and introduce the indoor game to the hockey community in Slovakia,’’ Team Canada general manager Johnny Mouradian said after the Friday meeting. “We have in Canada the perfect model for the development of indoor lacrosse in hockey countries.
“They have arenas and the ice comes out, just like in Canada, and they like the fact that young hockey players in Slovakia could have an opportunity to play indoor lacrosse to help develop their skills.’’
The Federation of International Lacrosse picked the Czech Republic to be host of the 2011 world indoor tournament, which had eight members participating and which concluded Saturday, with the specific intent to spread the sport in Europe. The previous two championships were held in Canada.
Mouradian and Team Canada executive director Dean French met Friday with Milan Vajda, marketing director of HC Slovan Bratislava, Rastislav Marsalek, the hockey team’s creative director, and Pavol Kopernicky, who manages the Tricksters lacrosse club of Slovakia.
Slovan Bratislava is the top hockey team in Slovakia and plays out of the arena used for the recent world hockey tournament. It’s motto is “Slovan – More Than Hockey’’ and it actively seeks to diversify what it presents. Kopernicky took the lacrosse-hockey doubleheader idea to Slovan executives and was welcomed.
“We want to create a special event promoting lacrosse and hockey games together,’’ said Kopernicky. “We need to attract more players so we need to promote the sport in Slovakia, and not many people in Slovakia know lacrosse as well as hockey is a national sport in Canada.’’
Two or three top Canadian players would augment the Slovak lineup in the exhibition. A Czech team would supply the opposition.
“The next step is to sit down and once they get their hockey schedule pick the Sunday game we’ll pair with and have some of our national team players join the Slovak team for that game,’’ said Mouradian.
Team Canada goalie Matt Vinc of St. Catharines is eager to participate. His father was born in Slovakia.
HC Slovan was the home team of Marian, Peter and Anton Stastny and of Vaclav Nedomansky before them.
Mouradian said he hopes to include an NHL player who also played lacrosse in any trip to Bratislava for a lacrosse-hockey doubleheader.
