Jamaica Ice Hockey already readying for next Challenger Cup

President of the Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation, Don Anderson, says the federation is already preparing for the next Challenger Series in earnest, after the team suffered a 10-6 loss to defending champions Greece in the final in Montreal on Sunday.
Anderson believes their poor execution in front of goal was the main downfall in the deciding match; nevertheless, he said they have already reviewed their shortcomings from the tournament and are taking steps to secure a top podium finish at the next staging.
The local ice hockey boss said they will continue their recruitment efforts in order to bring in more high-quality players of Jamaican decent, and that they will put a lot more effort in getting the team even one international friendly ahead of the next tournament.
“The Challenger Series resumes in May and we will be embarking on another recruitment drive to strengthen the team, as information on hand suggests that we have quite a few more players of Jamaican descent active in top leagues in Canada, mainly,” he pointed.
“Efforts are also being made to play competitively at least once more before the Challenger Series resumes in May 2027.
“So we have already thoroughly analysed the shortcomings and will seek to plug those holes by the time we take to the ice again.
“This includes ensuring we have at least three practice sessions, instead of the one we had before we competed in our first game on Thursday.”
The Jamaicans went toe-to-toe with the Greeks for the first two periods, ending the first tied at 2-2.
Greece surged back into a 4-2 lead, but Jamaica fought back to score three unanswered goals to take a 5-4 advantage.
However, Greece rallied almost instantly to tie the score, and went on to take a 7-5 lead at the end of the second period.
Jamaicans were a constant threat as they tried to get back into the game, and had their opponents under pressure for most of the third and final periods, but they were unable to put away the numerous chances they had and Greece scored three more to win the series for the second straight year.
He noted that Jamaica were handicapped by the loss of two key players in Tayjon Street, who was suspended following Saturday’s game against Lebanon, and Avery Grant, who had a groin injury.
Neverthelesss, he believed that had they had a little more luck in front of goal, the outcome could have been different.
“We had the higher percentage of possession, but Greece shot better. The guys know they played well but did not finish as they should, but took comfort from the fact that we were in the game throughout.
“It would be difficult, especially against a side that has more experience and have physically bigger players.
“We are all confident that we can bounce back from this loss and be very competitive again next year,” he said.
He added that despite the defeat, the future of the sport in Jamaica is in good hands, as a great number of the players that represented the country in the final are still teenagers.
“Five members of the team are under 19, including one who is 16 years old,” he stated.
livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com