The EIHA have this evening confirmed that Phase 2 of their Return to Play protocols will begin tomorrow (Saturday) following the government’s announcement last night that ice rinks in England are able to reopen.

Phase 2 allows groups of up to 20 players to train at once, although there are still restrictions on different groups mixing and two-metre social distancing to be practiced.

EIHA director, Travis Ward, said: “The reopening of ice rinks in England is welcome news to the EIHA as it finally means we can move into Phase 2 of our Return to Play plan.

“Although we still have some time before we can get back to normal training and competition, the ability to get back on the ice and engage in modified on-ice training is a big step in the right direction.

“For rinks located in Wales and in areas that are currently subject to local lockdown restrictions, we urge rinks to consult and follow any specific government guidance related to reopening.

“We are pleased to finally have our athletes back on the ice and we’re grateful for the support of the hockey community in helping us push for this, including our #SportNotLeisure campaign which was widely shared on social media in the last week.

“We look forward to getting back to competitive ice hockey across all levels of our sport, as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Click here to read more on the EIHA website.