September 11: At a press conference hosted by the Provincial Government of Heilongjiang, the Vysshaya Khokkeynaya Liga (VHL) announced that the ice hockey league will come to Harbin, Heilongjiang Province in the upcoming season, marking the first time a VHL league game will be staged in Heilongjiang. 

A government representative expressed that as part of the partnership between China and Russia in the sports field staging this league would assist in the promotion of the sport of ice hockey in China.

In the upcoming season, HC Heilongjiang Kunlun Red Star will compete in the VHL with their first home match in Harbin taking place this month. Kunlun Red Star is also the first Chinese ice hockey club to compete in the VHL.

Based around the provincial ice hockey team of Heilongjiang, HC Heilongjiang Kunlun Red Star was co-founded on May 27 by the Chinese Ice Hockey Association, the Administration of Sports of Heilongjiang Province and HC Kunlun Red Star.

Founded in 2009, the VHL is the second highest level of the Russian ice hockey league just after the KHL. Currently, there are 27 teams from China, Russia and Kazakhstan competing in the league.

Source: hlj.ifeng.com

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick