Portugal
| Portugal | |
 | |
| Continent | Europe |
| Population | 10,561,614 |
| Registered players | 116 |
| Referees | 7 |
| Rinks | 1 |
| National teams | Men's |
| National federation | Federation of Portuguese Ice Sports |
| IIHF since | May 13, 1999 |
| IIHF ranking | N/A |
| Top league | Portuguese Championship |
| Current champion | Viseu Lobos (2000-01) |
Portugal is a country in Southwest Europe. Lisbon is the capital and largest city.
Overview
National Teams
Domestic Teams
See Category:Ice hockey teams in Portugal
Arenas
See Category:Arenas in Portugal
Competitions
| Competition | Founded | Folded | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugese Championship | 2000 | 2001 | Defunct national championship |
History of hockey in Portugal
The Federation of Portuguese Ice Sports is the governing body of ice hockey and other ice sports in the country. Portugal became a member of the IIHF on May 13, 1999.[1] There were three ice rinks in the country at the time.
In the summer of 1996, a sports complex featuring an ice rink opened in Viseu. The country's first ever ice hockey club was soon created. On November 29, 1996, the inaugural ice hockey game in Portugal was played. 900 fans were on hand to witness the historic match.
The Portugese Championship was first contested during the 2000-01 season. Three teams, the Viseu Lobos, Lisbon Stars, and Serta Vikings played eight games apiece. The competition has not been repeated since its inaugural season. Hockey continued to be played at the Viseu rink until 2006, and the facility later closed.
In 2000, the Portuguese National Team played three games, the only games they ever played. The team they compiled to play was made up of former Portuguese emigrants who played ice hockey in the United States and Canada, as well as former players from traditional roller hockey. The event consisted of three games between the newly created national team of Portugal and the First Portuguese Canadian Cultural Center (FPCCC) from Toronto, Ontario, representing Canada. The games were held from June 21 to June 23, 2000 at the Palácio do Gelo in Viseu.
The tournament was a joint venture by the Federação Portuguesa de Desportos No Gelo and the Embassy of Canada, namely the Ambassador of Canada, Robert Vanderloo. The event was also sponsored by Banco Comercial Português and Nortel.
The FPCCC won the first game 18–6 and the second 21–5. Pedro Regado was the first ever player to score for Portugal when he scored at the 8:04 mark of the first period. The third and final game was played with the decision to mix-up the teams, placing Portuguese descendants of the FPCCC on the Portuguese team. At the end of the third match, the score was a close 15–11 for FPCCC.
It took nearly 15 years for the national team to compete in an international game again. They played two games against the Czech Republic Lions at a rink in Elvas, Portugal, on January 10 and 11, 2015. The Portuguese won both games, 6-4 and 6-2, respectively. A few days later, the national team traveled to Prague to play in a local tournament. They lost to the same Lions team 2-0 and also fell to the Stingers 3-0.[2]
References
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