Tel Aviv, Jerusalem to make Israel hockey history at UBS Arena

The Israel Elite Hockey League (IEHL) USA Challenge Cup on Sunday will be a historic event, one that isn't lost on Mike Gennello.

The 28-year-old forward is captain of HC Tel Aviv, one of eight teams that will play a 10-game IEHL season from June 3 to July 8.

The IEHL USA Challenge Cup will mark the first time two teams from Israel will play a hockey game in North America, Tel Aviv against the Jerusalem Capitals, at UBS Arena. A couple of hours before going live on YouTube at 5 p.m. ET, a gathering of the Jewish faith and non-Jews will congregate with other fans and learn why founder and co-commissioner Tom Avneri requested fundraising two years ago.

"This is Israel," he wrote, "and Israel is anything but ordinary."

More than 7,000 tickets have been sold, opening the door to the league's compete level, and putting away any misconceptions. A summer ice hockey league in Israel? Do they even have ice?

Gennello has heard it all. This is a big deal for hockey in Israel, and likely the biggest hockey night for those playing the game.

"It's the moments you live for," Gennello said. "Not a lot of us get to play Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final or in front of a ton of people for a championship at whatever level. We get to do it before what's hopefully the biggest crowd any of us get to play in front of. We'll compete because we're competitors, but don't allow it to make you overthink. Enjoy the moment. It's going to be a big one that we remember for the rest of our lives."

The game will be played at high level, and the players on the losing side will leave unhappy without a victory.

"Nobody wants to lose this game," Gennello said. "Don't expect this Tel Aviv team just to show up. ... We're coming to win. We're coming to make a point."

The opposition's feeling is mutual.

"We're going [there] to win," Capitals forward Josh Greenberg said. "We will play hard and do everything we can to win. The trip is already memorable. It'll be even more memorable with the win. We want the win, the trophy, to prove that the Jerusalem Capitals are the best team in the IEHL. You're going to get a full 60 [minutes] from us."

HC Tel Aviv won the league's inaugural championship in 2021, defeating what's now the Puckempire Holon Vipers. The Capitals finished second in 2024 after losing the best-of-3 final to the Ashdod Dolphins.

According to Simplemaps, Tel Aviv is Isreal's largest city with a population of more than 1.3 million. Behind it is Jerusalem, the capital city, with a population of 936,425. UBS Arena, located in Elmont, New York, is in the shadow of New York City, where 10.8 percent of the population was Jewish in 2021, according to the Berman Jewish Databank.

IEHL co-commissioner Marc Brunengraber is marketing two teams with strong name recognition and their chance to harvest a greater interest in the United States. Players will meet fans, participate in interactive hockey challenges and connect with those from diverse backgrounds.

One-third of IEHL players are not Jewish, and many join the league never having met a Jewish person. When they go home, they promote Israel and their positive interaction with Jewish people. Field trips during the season are to landmarks like the Old City of Jerusalem, the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Non-Jews learn the truth to living there and become allies.

"Advocacy beyond hockey, to show Israel's true face to people," Brunengraber said. "You can't just do it within your own community. You've got to reach out to others besides your own. Otherwise it doesn't mean as much."

The 2025 IEHL season will have teams divided into the North and Central Division, with the top six competing for the championship. Jerusalem defeated Tel Aviv 6-3 at Blue Ice Arena in Ashdod, Israel, on July 7, 2024, part of a 4-2 season that ended with a 2-1 loss to the Dolphins (6-0) in Game 3 of the final. Tel Aviv will try to recover from going 0-6, a season Gennello sat out to heal from minor injuries and begin his tenure coaching the Florida Eels, a junior team in the United States Premier Hockey League, in Fort Myers, Florida.

The Capitals have made the league finals twice in the league's first four seasons. Their assistant coach is David Warsofsky, an NHL defenseman from 2013-18 and the older brother of San Jose Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, further connecting the hockey community with the largest Israeli hockey showcase in history. Ryan is the first Jewish person to coach an NHL team since Bob Plager led the St. Louis Blues for 11 games in 1992-93. Advocacy beyond hockey is the M.O. of the IEHL. The significance of Sunday isn't lost on anybody.

"I think [David] is excited about it, and my dad's going," Ryan Warsofsky said. "It'll be a good experience for both of them. I'd never heard of the tournament until a few months ago. That area, the Jewish religion, is obviously pretty popular out there, so I think it'll be a cool experience for everyone."

NHL.com independent correspondent Max Miller contributed to this report