Ice Down Under! The NHL’s Arizona Coyotes and LA Kings will face off at Rod Laver Arena 

The National Hockey League will play its first sport within the Southern Hemisphere when the Arizona Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings play in Melbourne this September – at a tennis area. 

The NHL published the ones groups can be jetting off to Australia to play an outside sport at Rod Laver Arena – the primary courtroom for tennis’s Australian Open – that will be their first contest hosted within the nation.

The groups will play two video games on September 23 and 24 – with Arizona the designated house staff for the primary sport and Los Angeles the house staff for the second one. 

Statements from the Australian govt, the NHL, and each groups confirmed they are all taking a look ahead to bringing hockey Down Under. 

‘Nowhere does main occasions like Melbourne and that is why we’re ready to draw the most important carrying spectacles from all over the world,’ Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos stated Tuesday.

Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne will be web hosting the primary NHL sport within the Southern Hemisphere

Two exhibition video games will be performed between the Los Angeles Kings and the Arizona Coyotes

‘Securing the NHL’s first ever video games within the Southern Hemisphere isn’t just a win for followers however will ship giant advantages for tourism companies in our town. 

‘These video games will additionally advertise Melbourne to hundreds of thousands of possible guests gazing via world proclaims.’

‘We are extremely joyful to deliver the joy and interest of the National Hockey League to the dynamic town of Melbourne and the good sports activities followers of Australia with the 2023 Global Series video games,’ NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated. 

‘The Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings are two of our League’s emerging younger groups and amongst our maximum leading edge and adventurous franchises. 

‘We sit up for their two video games at Rod Laver Arena and know this history-making discuss with will thrill our many avid followers in Australia and purpose such a lot of extra all the way through the sports-loving country to be captivated via our nice sport.’

‘The Arizona Coyotes are commemorated to constitute the National Hockey League at the NHL Global Series in Melbourne,’ Coyotes President and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez added.

‘This is an incredible alternative for the Coyotes and Kings to introduce our nice sport to the extremely passionate sports activities followers of Melbourne. The Coyotes are dedicated to rising our sport and we sit up for interacting with the entire super other people, companions, and fans-in-waiting in Australia.’

This will be Kings’ first sport outdoor North America since 2017 and Arizona’s first since 2010

‘The Los Angeles Kings are overjoyed to be featured within the NHL Global Series in Melbourne,’ stated Kings President Luc Robitaille.

‘This ancient match with each the Kings and Coyotes will constitute the sport of hockey at the easiest ranges, and Melbourne will be an incredible host.  

‘The Kings embody each alternative to develop the sport and make bigger our succeed in and we sit up for running with each and every of our companions to help in making the development a luck and to release our 2023-24 season in grand model.’

Both LA and Arizona have performed video games outdoor the rustic sooner than. 

The Kings just lately performed the Vancouver Canucks in Shanghai and Beijing in 2017 – in addition to video games in Austria, Germany, England, and Sweden. The Coyotes have traveled to play in Latvia and the Czech Republic in 2010.