No rest for national ice hockey team with EHL season underway

The UAE national team will now turn their attention to preparing for the IIHF World Championship Division Three tournament by splitting up to join their respective EHL teams for games and tournaments.

The players of the UAE national team, in white, will now split up and join their respective EHL squads.

ABU DHABI // The UAE could not have asked for a better outcome to the IIHF World Championship Division Three qualifier which they hosted at Abu Dhabi this week.

They emerged top of the group by winning all three games and were joined by Greece in qualifying for the World Championship Division Three in South Africa from April 15 to 21.

"It is work, work and more work now until we travel to South Africa," said Yuri Faikov, the UAE's Belarusian coach.

The national team players have a hectic schedule before travelling to South Africa.

A majority of them play for the Abu Dhabi Storms and will travel to Thailand in the next few days for their defence of the international division in the Land Of Smiles Hockey Classic from October 24 to 27.

On their return they will prepare for the Capital Cup, a tournament organised by the Abu Dhabi Ice Sports Club that draws teams all over the Emirates and other Gulf countries.

"They will also play in the Emirates Hockey League (EHL), and all these games will be part of our preparation from now on," Faikov said.

The EHL got underway last week but the Storms are yet to make an appearance.

They spent a six-week training camp preparing for the qualifier and now travel to Thailand.

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