MECHELEN – Past weekend it was time for the IIHF Global Girls’ Game, edition 2023. Played annually since 2015, this long game takes place all weekend long – and a few games also outside the weekend – from all over the world from Asia, Oceania to the Middle East, Europe, Africa and over to North, Central and South America.
In 40 games in as many countries Team Blue will play Team White and the scores and aggregate score will be updated on IIHF.com and the @iihfhockey social media channels along with short stories and impressions from the venues.
There were plenty of happy faces in Mechelen for the Belgian leg of the Global Girls’ Game. With the women’s national team away in Cape Town on World Championship duty, numbers were slightly down on last year, but there were still 20 skaters and three goalies involved. The players were aged between 11 and 26 and represented a wide range of experience.
It was a close game until midway through the third period, when Team Blue (playing in red) began to move ahead. Team White kept battling until the end, but the Blues skated to an 8-5 win.
IIHF referee Marine Dinant, who is soon to officiate at the Women’s Worlds in April, took charge of the game.