On July 18 and 19, Xiaomi Arena will host the international 3x3 hockey tournament "8 Nations Cup". It will be the first 3×3 hockey competition of this scale in Europe, in which active professional hockey players from eight countries will participate.
Currently, the teams of Finland, Sweden, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia and Latvia are fully completed.
Eduards Tralmaks, Uvis Balinskis, Sandis Vilmanis, Kristaps Zīle, Renārs Krastenbergs, Deniss Smirnovs, Roberts Mamčics, Patriks Zabusovs and Frenk Razgals, who is the most productive player in 3×3 hockey and participated in all "Hype 3×3" tournaments, will play in the Latvian team.
"At the moment, the whole team is preparing hard for the tournament, because we want to show our best performance to our fans, especially in the games against the NHL stars who will come to Riga," said the captain of the Latvian national team, Eduards Tralmaks.
The organizers of the tournament inform that participation in the competition has already been confirmed by several well-known NHL players, as well as participants of the world championships and Olympic Games. Among them are Julius Honka (Finland), Marcel Müller (Germany), Leo Komarov (Finland), New York Islanders player Viktor Eklund, Wojtek Stachowiak from the "Detroit Red Wings" system, as well as Martin Misiak - one of the most promising young European hockey players, whom experts call the next NHL star. The Swedish team, on the other hand, is composed of national team players and U-20 world champions.
The organizers emphasize that the list of participants continues to grow. In the near future, the names of several more well-known hockey players, whose participation is kept secret for now, will be announced.
The tournament takes place under the patronage of the Latvian 3x3 Hockey Federation. The game consists of three seven-minute periods. Each team has three outfield players and a goalkeeper on the field at the same time. The game is played without power plays, but in case of a violation of the rules, a penalty kick is awarded, during which the player goes one-on-one with the goalkeeper, while the other players of the opposing team try to interfere with him.
In addition to 3×3 hockey games, Glove Off ice battles will be held during breaks, in which athletes from different countries will participate. The fights will take place according to the rules of the tournament and will consist of three one-minute rounds.
Evening visitors will be greeted by an impressive light and sound show, competitions for the whole family, as well as a musical program throughout the day.
Tickets are available at all "Bilešu Serviss" ticket offices. More information can be found on the official website of the tournament www.hype3x3.lv.