Olympics-NHL says test event at unfinished Milan-Cortina ice hockey arena was ‘good trial run’

Jan 13 (Reuters) – The NHL and the union representing its players have said they were pleased with a test event held over the weekend at the main ice hockey venue being used for next month’s Milano-Cortina Olympics and will continue to monitor progress on the remaining work.

The unfinished Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, one of two venues hosting the ice hockey competitions during the February 6-22 Olympics, has attracted attention in recent weeks with developers rushing to complete it in time for the competition.

The NHL had a delegation at the arena over the weekend during a test event featuring Italy’s top teams. The opening game of the event was stopped briefly during the first period when a hole emerged in front of one of the nets, though that is not unusual with new ice.

In a joint statement on Monday, the National Hockey League and NHL Players’ Association said they expect the work necessary to address all remaining issues at the venue will continue “around the clock.”

“The NHL and NHLPA will continue to monitor the situation, standing ready to consult and advise on the work being done to ensure that the local organizing committee, the IOC, and the IIHF deliver a tournament and playing conditions befitting the world’s best players,” the statement read.

“We were pleased that this weekend’s event was a good trial run and provided important insight into the current status.”

There has been extra attention on the venue as elite players from the NHL are due to compete at the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games.

The original test event at Santagiulia had been scheduled for December but was postponed due to construction delays.

The inside of the venue remains under construction, with hospitality areas and locker rooms yet to be completed. The media section has also been set up on a temporary basis.

The women’s ice hockey competition begins on February 5 while the men’s event, which due to the presence of NHL players is one of the marquee events of the global sporting showcase, starts on February 11.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto)