Ice Hockey's Homecoming Tournament (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Post by **Calv** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:30 pm

Great advert for the sport in the UK: http://www.icehockeyshomecoming.com/

Getting 2 AHL teams to come across is brilliant

very tempted to go and watch a game

Post by **getzlaf15** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:13 am

Calv wrote:Great advert for the sport in the UK: ttp://www.icehockeyshomecoming.com/

Getting 2 AHL teams to come across is brilliant very tempted to go and watch a game

http://www.icehockeyshomecoming.com/ - You missed the H from the beginning.

Great stuff getting some future NHL talent over here. I would be interested, but it's quite a long way away!

Post by **archibalduk** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:10 pm

Calv wrote:Great advert for the sport in the UK: ttp://www.icehockeyshomecoming.com/

Getting 2 AHL teams to come across is brilliant very tempted to go and watch a game

Myself and Calv booked our tickets this evening. Cannot wait to go! Where I live in the UK (Kent) is probably one of the furthest points of the country from Edinburgh so I'm going to book a flight from London. Even with the train ticket to the airport, it'll only be about £10 more than the train to Edinburgh - and a good five hours quicker!

There's an exhibition game between Hamilton and Toronto on the Thursday and then the Saturday there are the semi finals, and Sunday is the 3rd v 4th playoff and the final. We've got tickets for the entire tournament weekend but not for the Thursday exhibition.

Nick - I'm up for some Phoenix games next season. Mark_htfc is too provided it doesn't clash with a Huddersfield Town home game. Getzlaf - would you be interested in meeting up at a Phoenix game at some point next season (maybe Oct or Nov time)?

Eme - the UK EIHL is roughly the same level as the North American ECHL. I guess that's probably a fair bit lower than the SM-Liiga.

mark_htfc · Post by **mark_htfc** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:33 pm

I can't believe this news, I have asked the misses if she fancies going and she said yes

. So I am just going to price up a hotel and then maybe buy 2 tickets.

If I miss a football game that weekend I can make do

.

As for meeting up in Oct and Nov time that sounds good to me Archi, once the fixtures come out for both I can work out a date and let you know.

Post by **archibalduk** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:38 pm

mark_htfc wrote:I can't believe this news, I have asked the misses if she fancies going and she said yes . So I am just going to price up a hotel and then maybe buy 2 tickets.

Let me know how you get on with finding a hotel. My bro and myself are looking for a twin bedroom somewhere. The Holiday Inn next to the arena is charging a total £106 per night.

mark_htfc wrote:As for meeting up in Oct and Nov time that sounds good to me Archi, once the fixtures come out for both I can work out a date and let you know.

Cool dude, sounds like a good plan

mark_htfc · Post by **mark_htfc** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:45 pm

archibalduk wrote:
mark_htfc wrote:I can't believe this news, I have asked the misses if she fancies going and she said yes . So I am just going to price up a hotel and then maybe buy 2 tickets.
Let me know how you get on with finding a hotel. My bro and myself are looking for a twin bedroom somewhere. The Holiday Inn next to the arena is charging a total £106 per night.

I will do, currently she is looking around but at the moment everywhere seems to be saying check availability. £106 a night seems rather alot of money, unfortunately not what I could afford. I will keep looking though for a good deal on a hotel and let you know as soon as I do.

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:19 pm

Is anyone going to the Ice Hockeys homecoming tournament in Edinbrugh in September??

I'm thinking bout going and was wondering if anyone else was gong so I knew roughly where to book the hotel, and stuff?

Post by **archibalduk** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:58 am

I'm going with my brother (Calv) for the semis on the Saturday and the 3rd/4th playoff and final on the Sunday. Which ones are you going up for?

It seems the airport bus runs from the train station in the city centre via the arena every ten minutes so transport shouldn't be too difficult so long as you find yourself accommodation within a reasonable walking distance of the train station (obviously not too close, though, as lots of undesirables tend to hang around near stations).

I was going to stay in a B&B but when I phoned they weren't taking bookings that far in advance (I didn't think it was really that far off, really!). There's plenty of hotels in the centre and there's also a Holiday Inn which is within walking distance from the arena itself.

Btw, I'll merge this into the official UK hockey thread in a day or so

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:57 am

Awesome, I was thinking of going for the thursday as well. But I would be left in Edinbrugh for a day on me todd. So I think I might steal your idea and go on the saturday and sunday instead.

So... am i right in thinking that the train station your on about is the central train station?? or are you on about staying close to the airport.?? To be honest I haven't really researched anywhere to stay in great detail/. I was just wondering if anyone else was going.

I'll prob get my tickets for the weekend on friday and then start looking for somewhere to stay!!

Thanks
Andyjayp

Post by **archibalduk** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:35 pm

Yeah, it's the central station. We'll be staying at B&B in the city centre, about 20 mins walk from the station.

I would have gone to the Thursday game but it would be too expensive in terms of accommodation as it would add an extra two nights' stay. It's only an exhibition game anyway. The weekend games will be far more interesting.

Do you know which teams will play each other in the semis? I'm wondering whether they'll put the two Canadian teams in one semi and the two Brits in the other.

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:48 pm

Nah I don't know. Awesome. I think i'm gonna try and stay close to the train station. But I'm thinking bout flying up to Edinburgh, as it would be a shorter trip.

OK... So I'm now gonna be going on the friday and come home on the monday... So would it be alright if I met up with you, or something. If I wont be intruding something.

If not don't worry.

Thanks

Post by **Manimal** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:05 pm

Toronto vs. Edinburgh and Hamilton vs. Belfast

http://theahl.com/news/league/index.htm ... e_id=10225

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:39 pm

Awesome. Sounds like its gonna be a good tournament.

I just worked out prices for me to go to Edinbrugh... and worked out that trains are well over priced. The price of me buying my ticket for the weekend and my plane tickets both together are cheaper than the £134 (US $218.95) train ticket. Another plus for travelling by plane is, the fact that it tames about a 7th of the time (about 50mins by pane and 7hrs+ by train).

All I need now is to find a cheap place to stay.

Any ideas anyone??

Thanks

mark_htfc · Post by **mark_htfc** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:30 pm

I am still unsure about this, I am tempted to go but going to have to have a look at funds seriously as to whether I can actually afford or not, I might do some over time though at work to get a few extra pennies in, the only other problem is it will clash with a Town home game but that will make do for a weekend.

Post by **archibalduk** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:29 pm

Mark - if you have the funds then I think it'd be worth missing one Town game to see two AHL teams play. If the Anaheim v LA game I saw two years ago is anything to go by, it will be absolutely fantastic. The skill on display in the NHL game was breathtaking compared to the EIHL.

Andy - I'm in the same position. Train would have cost £70 return for approx 7hr journey. Plane is 1h30 (plus a 1hr train ride to the airports in London) and about £80. It was well worth the extra tenner.

Post by **Calv** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:32 pm

Andyjayp wrote:Nah I don't know. Awesome. I think i'm gonna try and stay close to the train station. But I'm thinking bout flying up to Edinburgh, as it would be a shorter trip.

OK... So I'm now gonna be going on the friday and come home on the monday... So would it be alright if I met up with you, or something. If I wont be intruding something.

If not don't worry.

Thanks

Feel free to meet us in Edinburgh, I'm sure archi won't have a problem

I can't remember where we're staying as archi's sorting it all out(I'm skint

), however if you book through http://www.holidayinn.com/ and use the code EC4 then you save £35 per room I think, there's a few places here: http://www.icehockeyshomecoming.com/for ... ?topic=7.0

Post by **archibalduk** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:23 pm

Andy, as Nick (Calv) said, we're happy to meet up with fellow TBL'ers at the game

Can't remember where we're staying (it's on a piece of paper somewhere...). I tried to book last week but their calendar doesn't go as far forward as September! It's only three months away for goodness sake!!

They have very good reviews on Google so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and will try booking again in a week's time.

I got an e-mail today from BA saying that they've rescheduled my flight so that it's 45 mins later than planned. Rather than arriving at 10:50 I'll be arriving at 11:35. I think that's going to cut it really fine as I have to get from the airport to the city centre, meet my bro, drop things off at the B&B and then travel to the arena for 12:30 or 1pm. I think I'll phone up BA in a moment and give them hell. Hopefully they'll put me on an earlier flight for free...

Post by **archibalduk** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:37 pm

I didn't need to give 'em hell afterall! They were very good about it and changed my flight for free. The only thing is is that now my flight leaves at 8.50am and check-in closes at 8.05am. I'll have to get the first train of the day at 5:30am in order to get to Heathrow airport for 7.30am. It's not going to give me much margin for error if the train runs late.

I sure hope there aren't engineering works on the trains that day, otherwise I'll have to get to the airport on the Friday evening and sleep in their waiting room. I've done that before and it's really not fun!!

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:54 pm

it doesn't sound it. I'm gonna book my tickets tonight and get my plane tickets on monday.

Still havent found anywhere to stay yet. but I'm gonna go up on the friday so if my plane is late i wont be so fine cut. Thanks for agreeing to meet up with me at the game, as i'll be going on me own. I'm trying to get a guy from work to come, but he's not having any of it. Closer to the time i'll give you my number (if thats ok).

the hunt for accomidation goes on. At this rate i'll be sleeping rough on the trainstation....
oh well....

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:51 pm

Yay!!!

Just bought my tickets for the Saturday and Sunday games!! All I need to do now is arrange for my flights and find somewhere to stay!!

Post by **archibalduk** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 5:18 pm

Andyjayp wrote:Closer to the time i'll give you my number (if thats ok).

Yeah sure thing

If I manage to get anywhere with booking accommodation I'll let you know. It's proving hard to find places that aren't in the region of £60+ per night..

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:23 pm

Yeah I've had the same problem!!

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 9:19 pm

Hey, has anyone got there tickets for the game yet?? As in have they been posted to them and arrived??

I'm just curious at hoe long it takes for them to arrive!!

Post by **archibalduk** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 9:20 pm

I got mine about a week or so after I placed the order.

Andyjayp · Post by **Andyjayp** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:20 pm

Koolio.

Any luck on the finding somewhere to stay??

Ice Hockey's Homecoming Tournament (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Ice Hockey's Homecoming Tournament (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Ice Hockeys homecoming tournament...