This past weekend was the brand new shiny 20-20 Hockey-Fest trophy invented by the EIHL to give the fans something different for their weekend hockey fix. Something to bring all the fans together twice per year now, rather than the annual playoff booze up with hockey on the side.

The rules were different than normal hockey; two periods, twenty minutes per period, shortened penalties, no icing and no clock stoppage. A tournament played by all eight teams over one day with one winner at the end. It was radical thinking but an idea that might just catch on. The Sheffield Steelers ran out winners having beat the Coventry Blaze in the final. Favorites for the title, Nottingham Panthers who brought a few ringers to the competition went out early also. Read More»

I wrote this article over on my PRBSPORTS.COM site on the new 20-20 hockeyfest the Elite League have set up for this coming season.

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The British Elite League have come up with a funky new tournament that has been created to excite the fans and give them a chance to see every single player in the eight team league in one single day. They are calling it 20-20 Hockey fest in a competition that has straight knockout, two period, no clock stop hockey. It kicks off on the Sunday morning of the 4 October 2009 in Sheffield with quarter-final games lasting exactly 40-minutes with the winning team moving on to the semi-final and so forth. It’s a brand new form of hockey play and one that could very well take off if it proves to be successful. It is hard to see how it won’t be good to watch. Read More»