A great holiday of Czech hockey, which will include the para hockey representation team from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. From December 10th to 12th, a series of open-air matches will take place in the beautiful surroundings of Špindlerův Mlýn. The Winter Classic will unconventionally take place right in a mountain environment.
The program will offer a rich share of on-ice competitions. There will be a duel of junior teams, one match of the Chance League, one match of the Tipsport extra league, a duel of Czech and Slovak hockey legends as well as the national teams of the Czech Republic and Slovakia that will measure their strength in para hockey. “The fact that para hockey was invited to this great event is an appreciation of the work of all those who have been working on the development of para hockey in our country for a long time and are trying to keep Czech para hockey at the top of the world,” as said by the Czech para hockey manager Jiří Šindler. And both para hockey teams – the Czech Republic and Slovakia – are looking forward to this extraordinary experience. “It’s a huge challenge for us. The boys are really looking forward to the match in such an amazing place and the open air. At the same time, we will meet the Slovak team on the ice, which will be interesting for the spectators as well. It is great that para hockey will appear at this event alongside the best domestic hockey stars and teams, “said Jiří Bříza, coach of the Czech para hockey team. “Our ten-year cooperation will end at the Winter Classic because para hockey in Slovakia was created just ten years ago and we gained all our knowledge from the Czechs. Also, 90% of our boys play in the Czech league, so it will also be this magnificent celebration and presentation of Czechoslovak para hockey, “added Miroslav Dráb, general manager of the Slovak para hockey team.
Para hockey next to hockey legends! Jágr, Pavelec, and Pálffy – a hockey holiday full of stars
The three-day hockey and para hockey program will take place on a specially prepared ice rink directly below the ski slope in Špindlerův Mlýn. Fans of the magnificent Winter Classic event were also invited to a press conference with Jaromír Jágr today. “I believe that it will be an event that has never been here in the Czech Republic and may never be again,” says Jaromír Jágr. “The Winter Classic has not yet taken place in a mountain environment, neither in the Czech Republic nor in the world. That is why we chose Špindlerův Mlýn as the original venue. And we also wanted something extra – not just one match, but a cross-section of Czech hockey, “added Andrea Bársony from the Eniva event and advertising agency.
The para hockey duel will take place on the last playing day of this event – on Saturday, December 12, 2020, from 12:00, when the para hockey players of the Czech Republic and Slovakia will compete against each other. In the Chance League match, Jágr’s team Rytíři Kladno will play against the “home” HC Stadion Vrchlabí team. The Tipsport extra league duel will take place in St. Peter’s Mountfield HK and HC Sparta Prague. In the match of legends, Jiří Šlégr, Martin Ručínský, Ondřej Pavelec and Martin Straka, for example, should go on the ice on the Czech side, names such as Ľubomír Višňovský, Žigmund Pálffy, Peter Bondra or Richard Lintner will appear in the line-up of the Slovak team.
The entire program of the unique hockey festival can be found on the website of the organizer of the Winter Classic and also on the website of the Czech para hockey in the Events section.
Tickets for individual playing days available here: https://winterclassic.cz/vstupenky/
