Australian Hockey season begins on April 28th with news

13 Feb 2012 | Davide Tuniz

A new team, two conferences and the Trans Tasmanian League against New Zealand teams: new Aussie hockey season promises to be exciting

In the new Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) starting April 28th there will be plenty of exciting news for hockey fans: with the addition of an expansion team, the Perth Thunder, the league will split into two conferences: one conference will consist of the Australian East coast teams; Canberra Knights, Newcastle North Stars, Sydney Bears and the Sydney Ice Dogs, the other conference will include all other teams, the Gold Coast Blue Tongues, Perth Thunder, Melbourne Ice, Adelaide Adrenaline and the Melbourne Mustangs.

After much deliberation, original plans for a diagonal divide across Australia were put aside for a conference that offered the most efficiency for travel and costs.The conferences are yet to be named. Teams will play their inter-conference teams at least twice home and away, and extra-conference teams home and away just once. The AIHL's 13th season will begin on Saturday the 28th of April in Melbourne and end in Sydney on Sunday the 26th of August, with the Finals to be held on Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of September.

The 2012 season also features the first ever Trans Tasman Champions League, with 2011 Finalists the Melbourne Ice and Newcastle North Stars paired up against New Zealand 2011 Finalists, the Botany Swarm and Southern Stampede.