Czechs to play Michigan NAHL squads

The North American Hockey League will take on a bit of an international flavor over the next week as three clubs from the North Division will host exhibition games against the Czech Republic’s Under-18 National Team.

The Czechs’ first NAHL stop will be this Thursday when they take on the Motor City Metal Jackets at the Troy Sports Center in Troy (7 p.m. local time).

The Metal Jackets will face off against the Czechs again on Tuesday, Nov. 16 (7 p.m.) at the Kennedy Recreation Center in Trenton.

“It’s a privilege to host a world-class national team,” said Metal Jackets head coach David Cole. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity; it’ll be a positive hockey experience for our organization, our players and our community.”

Between its games against Motor City, the Czech National Team will visit McMorran Arena on Saturday to play the Port Huron Fighting Falcons (7:11 p.m.) followed by a trip to Flint’s Perani Arena on Sunday to take on the Michigan Warriors (2 p.m.).

Both teams are looking forward to the opportunity to face off against world-class competition.

“Our players are very excited and thrilled about playing a European national team like the Czechs,” said Fighting Falcons head coach Ernie Hicke. “Just the experience of playing them is something they’ll remember forever.”

“As a player and coach who took part in many international competitions with USA Hockey, it's always been exciting to play European teams just because of the talent, skating and puckhandling skills they bring to the game,” said Warriors head coach Moe Mantha.