Australia men's national ice hockey team

src: icelegendsaustralia.com

The Australian men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team for Australia. As of 2017, the Australian team is ranked 33rd in the IIHF World Rankings. The official nickname of Australia's national ice hockey team is the Mighty Roos.

Video Australia men's national ice hockey team

History

Some Australian national team players are expatriates of Canada and other hockey-playing nations, who have since become outright citizens of Australia or who hold dual citizenship. Australia's ice hockey team has participated in just one Winter Olympics: the 1960 Games in Squaw Valley, California. Australia lost both their games against powerhouses Czechoslovakia (18-1) and eventual gold medalists, the United States (12-1).

Australia has competed in the Division II World Championships since 2001. In 2007, they were coached by Steve McKenna, a former eight-year veteran of the National Hockey League. At the 2007 Division II World Championships, Australia won three games and lost one, finishing second in their group behind host nation South Korea and narrowly missing promotion to Division I.

Australia hosted the 2008 IIHF World Championship Division II Group B, which was held in Newcastle. The Mighty Roos finished first and captured the gold medal by winning all five games and were promoted to Division I for the first time ever.

Maps Australia men's national ice hockey team

World records

Australia previously held the distinction of holding a world record for most goals and highest winning margin in a IIHF World Championship game; they defeated New Zealand by a score of 58-0 in 1987, breaking the record held by Canada (47 goals against Denmark) since 1949. However this was surpassed in 2008 by the Slovakian women's team (82 goals against Bulgaria).