Construction delays may force NHLers to play on untested ice at Milan-Cortina Olympics

Forget about thin ice. For now, there's no ice.

With NHL players preparing to return to the Olympics for the first time in more than a decade, construction on the main hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Local organizers confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday that the main test event for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena that was scheduled for December has been moved to a smaller arena — and that no new test event has been scheduled yet.

The issue raises the prospect that there might not be a game held in the main arena until the puck is dropped for the women's preliminary round competition at the Olympics on Feb. 5 — one day before the opening ceremony.

"It's going to be very close to the start of the games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that," Milan-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said recently.

The event that was supposed to test the Santagiulia ice was part of the under-20 world championship from Dec. 8-14. That event has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey venue, which is being set up inside a giant convention center on Milan's outskirts and will host secondary matches during the games.

Usually, new Olympic venues are tested at least the year before hosting medal events. And with a large hockey arena, it's not just about the ice and making sure that the playing surface is ready and safe. It's also about testing concession stands, bathrooms and everything else inside a brand-new modern arena.

The Santagiulia venue, which is being built by a private company, is slated to become Italy's largest indoor arena. After the Olympics, it's being eyed as a possible future host of the ATP Finals tennis event.

Despite the delays and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia arena. Seats for the men's gold medal game on Feb. 22 — the closing day of the games — are going for as much as 1,400 euros (more than $1,600). That's more than for any other sports event at the Milan-Cortina Games. Only tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies cost more.

The return of NHL players at the Olympics was announced last February, with the world's top hockey league allowing its players to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

The Canadian men's hockey team will open the Olympic Games against Czech Republic and the women against Finland.

The International Ice Hockey Federation released the hockey schedules for the Winter Games in Milan Cortina, Italy on Wednesday.

Canada's women start defence of the gold medal Feb. 5 against the Finns.

The Canadian men get going Feb. 12 versus the Czechs as NHL players return to the Olympic Games for the first time since 2014, when Canada beat Sweden for gold in Sochi, Russia.

Canada faces Switzerland on Feb. 13 and concludes group play Feb. 15 against France in the 14,000-seat Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

The Canadian women meet the Swiss on Feb. 7 and the Czechs on Feb. 9 in the 5,700-seat Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena before capping Group A against arch rival U.S. on Feb. 10 in Santagiulia Arena.

Canada beat the United States 3-2 for the gold medal in Beijing in 2022.

The women's quarterfinals Feb. 13-14 in Milan are followed by the semifinals Feb. 16 and medal games Feb. 19.

The men's playoff qualification round is Feb. 17 followed by the Feb. 18 quarterfinals, the Feb. 20 semifinals, the bronze-medal game on Feb. 21 and the gold-medal game Feb. 22.

Canadian games will be televised late morning or early afternoon Eastern Time in Canada because of a six-hour time difference.

The IIHF unveiled the schedules a day after the dozen participating countries in the men's tournament revealed the first six players chosen to their respective 25-man rosters.

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