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Michigan Hosting Chinese Hockey Team

12/05/2012, 8:00am MST
By Dave McMahon

Special to USAHockey.com

Michigan Sports Enterprises ranks as one of the top 10 largest adult hockey leagues in the nation with more than 1,400 players.

For three weeks in November and December, the Fraser, Mich.,-based league added an international flavor. A men’s team from Harbin in the People’s Republic of China settled in Ann Arbor and played a slate of games against eight teams from MSE. By the time word had spread that the Chinese team was in search of top-quality competition on its off days, Michigan Amateur Hockey Association vice president (adult) Ray Kraemer was turning prospective teams away.

“Every morning there are at least a couple of teams wanting to know if they can schedule a game against the Harbin team,” said Kraemer, also a member of the USA Hockey board of directors and based in nearby Clinton Township, Mich. “It’s really been outstanding to see the local adult teams reach out to them.”

After taking a similar trip to Canada the past two years, the Harbin squad opted for an exhibition series against American teams this year. The China delegation of 21 players, three coaches and a referee arrived Nov. 23 and will depart Dec. 17.

During their stay, it’ll be a hockey lover’s paradise.
“They have three days off in three weeks,” Kraemer said. “Other than that, they’re playing every day. They just want to learn, and they want to learn against good teams.”

Eugene Wang, a resident of Ann Arbor, had served as a host for a Chinese delegation during a pairs figure skating exhibition in Michigan in 2005. The current Chinese men’s national team coach was the team leader of the pairs figure skating group back then. He made the connection with Wang to inquire about the prospect of an ice hockey exhibition series. Wang called MSE president Al Zawacky, and the “China Friendship Tournament” exhibition series was on.

After a 20-2 win over an average C-level team in its opener, Harbin tied a B team 4-4 and lost to an A team 6-1 in a game that was 3-1 after two periods. That A team was Cariera’s out of the Detroit Skating Club in West Bloomfield, the runner-up in the USA Hockey Adult Tier I Elite Non-Checking national tournament earlier this year.

The schedule has been tweaked somewhat, with more B-level teams added. The Chinese team also will get a taste of Junior A Tier III action when it faces the Motor City Chiefs of the Central States Hockey League on Dec. 5. All Harbin players are ages 22-and-older.

The Chiefs will make an event of the game. Chiefs officials contacted five local Chinese organizations, and printed fliers in Chinese to tout the event.

“These players do not speak English, and only one of the coaches speaks a little bit of English, so they’re looking forward to that game especially,” Kraemer said. “The Chiefs have gotten great feedback and they believe the arena will be full. They’re bringing in a Chinese dance team, and the Chinese national anthem will be played. They’ll have a meet and greet for the Chinese team afterwards with pizza. They’re doing everything they can to make them feel welcome.”

A game has also been arranged between Harbin and the University of Michigan club team.

“Harbin has played in international competition for 55 years, so it’s not exactly the Jamaican bobsled team. They want to learn and improve, and so far they’re accomplishing what they came here to do,” Kraemer said. “The guys here are excited because it’s something different. How many adult-league players are going to go to work the next day and say they played against the Chinese national team?”

MSE organized eight of its teams for games at Great Lakes Sports City in Fraser, Mount Clemens Ice Arena in Mount Clemens and Kennedy Ice Arena in Trenton.

“A lot of people — myself included — were surprised to learn how long ice hockey has been played in China,” said MSE president Al Zawacky. “They obviously love the game, have traveled extensively and have played very well in all their visits to foreign countries. They know of Metro Detroit’s reputation as ‘Hockeytown’ and MSE is pleased and proud to welcome them and play host to our fellow hockey players.”

MSE vice president/general manager Steve Ricucci will be participating in the Dec. 12 contest as a player on Belle Tire.

“Both teams will feel the same sense of anticipation and excitement, and all the players will share a love of the game,” he said. “We’re just looking forward to a great experience and a fun event.”

About two-thirds of the players on the Harbin team will be selected for the Chinese Olympic team.

Located on the southern bank of the Songhua River, Harbin is ranked as the 10th-largest city in China with an urban population of more than 4.5 million and a metro area population of nearly 10 million. Its cold winters have long earned it the nickname of “Ice City.”

“The Harbin team is very excited to be making this trip to Michigan and ‘Hockeytown,’” Wang said. “We are grateful to USA Hockey, the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association and Michigan Sports Enterprises for their special efforts to make these games happen. We are really looking forward to what should be some very good, competitive hockey and a great experience for everyone involved when ‘Ice Town’ meets ‘Hockeytown.’”

Admission to all of the games is free and the public is welcome.

HARBIN, CHINA TEAM SCHEDULE

GAME 5:Wednesday, Dec. 5, 9 p.m. at Dearborn Heights-Canfield Arena, Harbin vs. Motor City Chiefs

GAME 6: Thursday, Dec. 6, 10 p.m. at Mount Clemens Ice Arena, Harbin vs. Jimmy Dee’s

GAME 7: Friday, Dec. 7, 9:20 p.m. at Trenton Kennedy Arena, Harbin vs. Detroit Raters

GAME 8: Saturday, Dec. 8, 8:10 p.m. at Trenton Kennedy Arena, Harbin vs. Downriver Leafs

GAME 9: Sunday, Dec. 9, 2:30 p.m. at U of M Dearborn, Harbin vs. U of M Dearborn

GAME 10: Sunday, Dec. 10, 10 p.m. atMount Clemens Ice Arena, Harbin vs. Matrix Metalcraft

GAME 11: Tuesday, Dec. 11, 9:30 p.m. at Trenton Kennedy Arena, Harbin vs. PASI

GAME 12: Wednesday, Dec. 12, 9:10 p.m.   at Great Lakes Sports City, Harbin vs. Belle Tire

GAME 13: Friday, Dec. 14, 8:45 p.m. at Great Lakes Sports City, Harbin vs. Quantum Graphics

GAME 14: Saturday, Dec. 15, 9:25 p.m. at Great Lakes Sports City, Harbin vs. Freeze II

GAME 15: Saturday, Dec. 16, 10 a.m. at Ann Arbor Veterans, Harbin vs. Vets ‘A’ team

Story courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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