For the first time in its history, the National Hockey League (NHL) is stepping onto Australian ice.
The stage for this landmark event will be Melbourne’s iconic Rod Laver Arena, where two renowned rivals—the Arizona Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings—will face off in a two-game series as part of the NHL Global Series.
The high-octane weekend is set to commence on Saturday, September 23, with Game One kicking off at 2pm AEST. The showdown will be broadcast live on ESPN. The action will continue with Game Two, scheduled for Sunday, September 24, also airing live at 2pm AEST on ESPN.
Leading the Coyotes will be forward Clayton Keller, while the Kings’ lineup will be spearheaded by centre Anze Kopitar. In their last NHL regular-season clash, these teams offered a nail-biter that was eventually decided in a shootout, with the Kings triumphing in a 6-5 thriller. The forthcoming Australian match-up, therefore, promises to be an electrifying contest.
The NHL Global Series marks the league’s strategic expansion into new international markets. The initiative has previously showcased games in countries like Finland, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and England. Now, Australia has been added to that prestigious list.
As the NHL adds another chapter to its global outreach, sports aficionados in Australia are offered front-row seats to history in the making. Don’t miss the puck drop this weekend.
For hockey fans down under, ESPN continues to serve as the exclusive broadcaster for NHL games across both Australia and New Zealand.
