Players of Kazakhstan huddle prior to the start of their game against Latvia in the Ice Hockey Men’s 3-on-3 Tournament Semifinals game at the Gangneung Hockey Centre. The Winter Youth Olympic Games, Gangwon, South Korea, Wednesday 24 January 2024.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / BAiceMedia
Hockey fans in Bracknell, England, could get a glimpse of the future this Sunday. The British town’s Ozone rink is hosting an IIHF 3x3 tournament designed to help develop a new format for a potential Olympic debut in 2030.
The four-team Intermotor Ozone 3x3 Test Event on April 14 brings pro players from Britain’s national championship into 3x3 action as the IIHF looks to build on the success of the U16 competitions at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and the recent 2024 edition in Korea.
Now there’s a long-term plan to bring 3x3 hockey to the 2030 Winter Olympics in France.
"In Gangneung we had a lot of discussion with IOC members,” said IIHF Council Member Raeto Raffainer. “We know that both sides are very interested in bringing 3x3 to the Olympics, and that’s where the energy behind this is coming from.”
Up to now, the IIHF has been involved in youth 3x3 tournaments for U16 players. The next step is to see how it works with adult players. A recent event in Latvia gave a glimpse of men’s 3x3, and this weekend’s competition will add to that experience.
The four teams competing in Bracknell will include pro players from Britain’s Elite League and NIHL, the top-two tiers of competition in the UK. There are also two clubs involved, Slough Jets and Cardiff Fire from the NIHL South, plus a Scottish select roster and a further select team backed by tournament streaming sponsor HiRef UK.
“We’ve been involved in 3x3 for a few years, but always with kids,” Raffainer added. “Now we have to try it with adult players. That’s why we pushed Ice Hockey UK to have the best available players at Sunday’s event. This isn’t just for amateurs, we have pros from the Elite League involved and we’re hoping the standard will be as high as possible.”
Spectators, who may only have seen 3x3 in overtime in a 5x5 game, will encounter something different. This is a fast, free-scoring form of hockey. At the Youth Olympic Games, the first three days of action produced an average of 16 goals per game. With each shift regulated by a 45-second timer, the action is relentless. For a hockey first-timer, it’s an exciting introduction to the game.
As a result, there’s a lot of interest from member national associations, particularly non-traditional hockey nations. One of the big attractions of 3x3 is that it lowers the barrier for emerging hockey programs. Instead of needing a 25-strong roster, 3x3 has 11 skaters and two goalies. It’s possible to use smaller ice pads, bringing many leisure facilities into competitive play for the first time. Tunisia is looking forward to staging the African Cup in 3x3 format, while Brazil has made an official application to host a women’s 3x3 development event in the fall. Meanwhile, the smaller numbers help get close to the target of 100% eligibility on national team rosters at development events.
“One of our goals is to develop smaller nations with 3x3. Sunday’s event is also for our associate members,” conclude Raffainer. “But of course we’d love to live that Olympic dream and get a second hockey discipline into the Games.”
A big reason for playing in Bracknell is the town’s Ozone rink. Opened in 2021, it was designed as a 3x3 facility. In contrast with Gangeung, where teams played cross ice games on a rink built for the 2018 Olympics, this purpose-built venue has full-size boards and plexiglass around the whole surface. “It feels a bit more big-time,” said Danny Meyers, rink owner and a driving force behind GB’s 3x3 program.
Meyers is a convert to the smaller format. He was involved with the Bracknell Bees from the very start and went on to represent his country 59 times in a trophy-laden playing career that earned him a place in Britain’s Hockey Hall of Fame. When Bracknell’s full-size rink closed during the pandemic, Meyers responded by financing and building a 3x3 facility. Now it’s the home of Britain’s 3x3 program with Meyers coaching the team that played in Gangneung earlier this year.
He’s convinced that the short form has a bright future alongside the familiar 5x5 game and reckons it’s a great opportunity for players and coaches alike.
“On the ice, it’s a different challenge,” Meyers said. “You don’t have the luxury of a specialist defender or winger or whatever, you have to play all positions.
“And it’s fast. You make quick decisions, and those decisions have immediate consequences. In 5x5 if you lose the puck in the opposition’s corner, they still have to come 200 feet up the ice. In 3x3, it’s an immediate breakaway. On the smaller pad, the edgework has to be spot on, the decision making has to be better.”
It’s also a new challenge for coaches. “It’s exhilarating, seeing the new stresses it places on the players. I feel like I’m a better coach on the smaller ice – I can get to players quicker, the communication is better. And I’m sure that a really good 3x3 player will be very solid in 5x5.
“This isn’t going to overtake 5x5, that will always be the pinnacle, but 3x3 offers a really nice extra.”
Sunday’s tournament starts at 10am UK time (11am CET). The four teams will contest a round robin phase. The teams placed second and third in that group will play a semifinal, scheduled to start at 1612 (1712 CET) The winner advances to a grand final against the group winner, set to start at 1714 (1814 CET). All the action will be streamed on the IIHF’s YouTube channel.
The four-team Intermotor Ozone 3x3 Test Event on April 14 brings pro players from Britain’s national championship into 3x3 action as the IIHF looks to build on the success of the U16 competitions at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and the recent 2024 edition in Korea.
Now there’s a long-term plan to bring 3x3 hockey to the 2030 Winter Olympics in France.
"In Gangneung we had a lot of discussion with IOC members,” said IIHF Council Member Raeto Raffainer. “We know that both sides are very interested in bringing 3x3 to the Olympics, and that’s where the energy behind this is coming from.”
Up to now, the IIHF has been involved in youth 3x3 tournaments for U16 players. The next step is to see how it works with adult players. A recent event in Latvia gave a glimpse of men’s 3x3, and this weekend’s competition will add to that experience.
The four teams competing in Bracknell will include pro players from Britain’s Elite League and NIHL, the top-two tiers of competition in the UK. There are also two clubs involved, Slough Jets and Cardiff Fire from the NIHL South, plus a Scottish select roster and a further select team backed by tournament streaming sponsor HiRef UK.
“We’ve been involved in 3x3 for a few years, but always with kids,” Raffainer added. “Now we have to try it with adult players. That’s why we pushed Ice Hockey UK to have the best available players at Sunday’s event. This isn’t just for amateurs, we have pros from the Elite League involved and we’re hoping the standard will be as high as possible.”
Spectators, who may only have seen 3x3 in overtime in a 5x5 game, will encounter something different. This is a fast, free-scoring form of hockey. At the Youth Olympic Games, the first three days of action produced an average of 16 goals per game. With each shift regulated by a 45-second timer, the action is relentless. For a hockey first-timer, it’s an exciting introduction to the game.
As a result, there’s a lot of interest from member national associations, particularly non-traditional hockey nations. One of the big attractions of 3x3 is that it lowers the barrier for emerging hockey programs. Instead of needing a 25-strong roster, 3x3 has 11 skaters and two goalies. It’s possible to use smaller ice pads, bringing many leisure facilities into competitive play for the first time. Tunisia is looking forward to staging the African Cup in 3x3 format, while Brazil has made an official application to host a women’s 3x3 development event in the fall. Meanwhile, the smaller numbers help get close to the target of 100% eligibility on national team rosters at development events.
“One of our goals is to develop smaller nations with 3x3. Sunday’s event is also for our associate members,” conclude Raffainer. “But of course we’d love to live that Olympic dream and get a second hockey discipline into the Games.”
A big reason for playing in Bracknell is the town’s Ozone rink. Opened in 2021, it was designed as a 3x3 facility. In contrast with Gangeung, where teams played cross ice games on a rink built for the 2018 Olympics, this purpose-built venue has full-size boards and plexiglass around the whole surface. “It feels a bit more big-time,” said Danny Meyers, rink owner and a driving force behind GB’s 3x3 program.
Meyers is a convert to the smaller format. He was involved with the Bracknell Bees from the very start and went on to represent his country 59 times in a trophy-laden playing career that earned him a place in Britain’s Hockey Hall of Fame. When Bracknell’s full-size rink closed during the pandemic, Meyers responded by financing and building a 3x3 facility. Now it’s the home of Britain’s 3x3 program with Meyers coaching the team that played in Gangneung earlier this year.
He’s convinced that the short form has a bright future alongside the familiar 5x5 game and reckons it’s a great opportunity for players and coaches alike.
“On the ice, it’s a different challenge,” Meyers said. “You don’t have the luxury of a specialist defender or winger or whatever, you have to play all positions.
“And it’s fast. You make quick decisions, and those decisions have immediate consequences. In 5x5 if you lose the puck in the opposition’s corner, they still have to come 200 feet up the ice. In 3x3, it’s an immediate breakaway. On the smaller pad, the edgework has to be spot on, the decision making has to be better.”
It’s also a new challenge for coaches. “It’s exhilarating, seeing the new stresses it places on the players. I feel like I’m a better coach on the smaller ice – I can get to players quicker, the communication is better. And I’m sure that a really good 3x3 player will be very solid in 5x5.
“This isn’t going to overtake 5x5, that will always be the pinnacle, but 3x3 offers a really nice extra.”
Sunday’s tournament starts at 10am UK time (11am CET). The four teams will contest a round robin phase. The teams placed second and third in that group will play a semifinal, scheduled to start at 1612 (1712 CET) The winner advances to a grand final against the group winner, set to start at 1714 (1814 CET). All the action will be streamed on the IIHF’s YouTube channel.