Being a hockey superstar is a pretty common dream for those growing up in Canada. But it’s also a goal for members of the Ice Lions, a team in Kenya.
The sights are familiar—players lacing up for drills, stickhandling for hours and hours, all with the same goal in mind: reaching the NHL.
That goal might seem a little far away, especially considering the team’s regular practice area. The Ice Lions, Kenya’s only hockey team, spends most of their time roller blading around a rooftop above team captain Benjamin Mburu’s apartment instead of an ice rink.
“Ice time is very expensive, and we do not have any other rink apart from Panari, which is just one rink in the whole of the country,” Mburu said.
About once a week, the Ice Lions are able to trade roller blades for ice skates to practice at the rink at Panari, a luxury hotel.
The squad was founded in 2015, as players in this sub-saharan country came together to celebrate their love of hockey.
“Ever since I was a kid, I was bewildered and amazed when I saw in movies guys playing a sport, very fast and bumping into each other,” Mburu said.
The team has been working on representing Kenya on the world stage for years, hoping to join the International Ice Hockey Federation.
In 2018, the Ice Lions’ dream got a bit of a boost after a Tim Hortons commercial gave some of the players the opportunity to travel to Toronto and meet their idol Sidney Crosby.
But years later, they are still pushing to get more international recognition.
Now, they’re getting an assist from Tim Colby, once a minor hockey coach in Ottawa.
“They are a very dedicated group, the Kenya Ice Lions, so they really deserve this,” Colby said. “They have shown what it takes to develop an ice hockey team and they have done it right here on the equator, so International Ice Hockey Federation, here we come.”
With files from CTVNews.ca`s Alexandra Mae Jones
Three officers on a U.S. Marshals Task Force serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and five other officers were wounded in a shootout Monday at a North Carolina home, police said.
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
A Calgary elementary school principal has been charged with possession of child pornography, authorities announced Monday.
Toronto police say 12 people are facing a combined 102 charges in connection with an investigation into a major credit fraud scheme.
Archeologist Jonathan Fowler is using ground-penetrating radar to search for historic evidence of the massive wall that surrounded Halifax more than 250 years ago.
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
Mike Duheme is the new head of the RCMP, after filling in the role on an interim basis for the past year.
B.C. Premier David Eby has joined other politicians denouncing remarks at a demonstration in Vancouver where protesters chanted “long live Oct. 7,” praising that day's attacks by Hamas on Israel.
McGill University says the growing encampment on its lower field in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza violates its policies.
The trial of a Winnipeg man accused of killing four women began this morning with a preliminary matter before the jury is called in next week.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have established an encampment at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in solidarity with the people of Gaza amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The University of Ottawa (uOttawa) says it supports the freedom of expression, but encampments and occupations "will not be tolerated" as a pro-Palestinian demonstration takes place on campus.
Dozens of London Drugs stores across Western Canada remained closed Monday following what the company described as a "cybersecurity incident" over the weekend.
Archeologist Jonathan Fowler is using ground-penetrating radar to search for historic evidence of the massive wall that surrounded Halifax more than 250 years ago.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 Palestinians on Monday, with more than half of the dead in the southern Gaza city of Rafah where bombs hit three houses, medics said, as Hamas leaders arrived in Cairo for a new round of truce talks.
Columbia University on Monday began suspending pro-Palestinian activists who refused to disband an encampment of tents on its New York campus after the Ivy League school declared a stalemate in talks seeking to end the polarizing protest.
The United States on Monday implored all countries supplying weapons to Sudan’s warring parties to halt arms sales, warning that history in the vast western Darfur region where there was a genocide 20 years ago "is repeating itself."
Atlantic City's main casino workers union and the New Jersey attorney general on Monday asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a different union that seeks to ban smoking at the city's nine casinos.
A former U.S. National Security Agency employee who sold classified information to an undercover FBI agent he believed to be a Russian official was sentenced Monday to nearly 22 years in prison, the penalty requested by government prosecutors.
The trial of a Massachusetts woman who allegedly killed her Boston police officer boyfriend by intentionally driving her SUV into him opened Monday.
Mike Duheme is the new head of the RCMP, after filling in the role on an interim basis for the past year.
British Columbia's highest court has ordered the Green Party of Canada's deputy leader to be released from custody pending her appeal of a 60-day jail sentence for her role in old-growth logging protests on Vancouver Island.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he's still not ready to say whether his caucus will support the federal budget, citing a need for further 'clarity' over whether the Liberals intend to address concerns surrounding the Canada Disability Benefit program.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority is downplaying what staff describe as a cockroach infestation in a medical unit of Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods have thrown cold water on that.
Tobacco manufacturers have until Tuesday to ensure every king-size cigarette produced for sale in Canada has a health warning printed directly on it.
A northern Ontario beekeeper is sounding the alarm after discovering most of her bees had died earlier this year.
Anyone who has a Gen-Z person in their life is likely familiar with the popular social media app TikTok, but a new bill in the U.S. may soon take it off of the American market.
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
Britney Spears and her father Jamie Spears will avoid what could have been a long, ugly and revealing trial with a settlement of the lingering issues in the court conservatorship that controlled her life and financial decisions for nearly 14 years.
Taylor Swift continues to dominate in the week following the release of her 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department." The 31-track album has hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, tying Swift with Jay-Z for second-most No. 1 albums at 14. Only The Beatles, with 19 No. 1 albums, have had more.
Anne Hathaway first shared she lost interest in drinking after a bad hangover in 2018. She’s now five years sober.
The majority of Canadians aspiring to buy a home say they will push their plans to next year or later to wait for interest rates to drop, a new survey shows.
For the first time in eight years, Canada imported more electricity from the U.S. than it exported amid prolonged dry conditions that have reduced hydroelectric power generation.
Medical device maker Philips said Monday it will pay US$1.1 billion to settle hundreds of personal injury lawsuits in the U.S. over its defective sleep apnea machines, which have been subject to a massive global recall.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
A nearly century-old church in one of Vancouver's most desirable neighbourhoods is up for sale.
Winnipeg forward Vladislav Namestnikov suffered a fractured cheekbone when a puck hit him on the left side of his face in Game 4 against Colorado, the team said Monday.
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the fourth round of the Madrid Open tennis tournament Monday in a walkover after Czech opponent Jakub Mensik retired.
Tributes continue to pour in for Bob Cole as his family has confirmed a funeral will be held for the legendary broadcaster Friday in St. John's, N.L.
Rolls-Royce is vastly expanding its factory in Chichester, England. The BMW subsidiary is adding five new buildings with construction planned to start next year.
On a three-lane test track along the Monongahela River, an 18-wheel tractor-trailer rounded a curve. No one was on board.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Homicide investigators have arrested a man for the fatal stabbing of Kulwinder Singh Sohi in White Rock.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority is downplaying what staff describe as a cockroach infestation in a medical unit of Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
British Columbia's highest court has ordered the Green Party of Canada's deputy leader to be released from custody pending her appeal of a 60-day jail sentence for her role in old-growth logging protests on Vancouver Island.
Toronto police say 12 people are facing a combined 102 charges in connection with an investigation into a major credit fraud scheme.
Norovirus is spreading at a 'higher frequency' than expected in Canada, specifically, in Ontario and Alberta, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
A Toronto senior says he missed a court date related to his impending eviction because he was recovering from a heart attack in hospital.
A Calgary elementary school principal has been charged with possession of child pornography, authorities announced Monday.
The Alberta government has laid out the path ahead for an ambitious passenger railway system it says 'has incredible potential' for the province.
A new capital gains tax increase, aimed at Canada’s highest earners, is causing frustration for some Albertans with secondary homes or cottages, according to a real estate broker.
The Treasury Board of Canada will only say it is “committed to hybrid work,” as reports suggest federal workers may be required to spend more time in the office.
An Ottawa woman says she believes clicking on a fraudulent link led to her entire bank account being compromised, leaving her out thousands of dollars.
As the Ontario government gets set to ban cellphones in school starting in September, the Ottawa Catholic School Board is poised to develop its own local policy encompassing 'broader technological considerations.'
McGill University says the growing encampment on its lower field in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza violates its policies.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Quebec Minister Responsible for the French Language Jean-François Roberge spoke to CTV News Montreal anchor Maya Johnson about the government's plan to spend $603 million to protect the French language
The city could be on the hook for the bill to demolish a problem building in the heart of Edmonton.
Edmonton could have a downtown outdoor entertainment district as soon as June 1.
The organization representing Alberta's cities, towns and villages says a bill that would grant the province sweeping new powers over local governments is creating an atmosphere of fear.
Police have charged a third youth in connection with the death of a teenager in Halifax last week.
A Bedford, N.S., man has been charged with stunting after the RCMP says he was caught driving more than 138 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Fire pit activity has been held to a minimum lately, but rain on Monday provided some relief from the mild and windy conditions of last week.
The trial of a Winnipeg man accused of killing four women began this morning with a preliminary matter before the jury is called in next week.
There may be hope for Winnipeggers as they try to dodge numerous potholes on their daily commute. The city is testing out a new product known as Road Soup, which would be used to help fill the craters during the early spring.
Some La Broquerie residents are outraged over a hefty property tax hike coming later this year.
The Sask. government announced $42.6 million in funding for community based organizations Monday to address interpersonal violence in the province.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is going to audit Saskatchewan for not paying carbon levies on home heating, Premier Scott Moe said Monday.
Sask. school divisions struggling to ‘maintain a status quo' amid years of underfunding
A man who stabbed an employee at a Cambridge grocery store in 2022 has been sentenced to three years behind bars.
The City of Waterloo is moving forward with a plan to try and rezone 25 acres of city-owned land near RIM Park to allow for affordable and attainable housing.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province's latest attempts to limit cellphone use in classrooms are designed to help students focus on learning.
Sask. school divisions struggling to ‘maintain a status quo' amid years of underfunding
Members of Red Pheasant Cree Nation are looking for help finding someone who they believe started a grassfire that’s blanketed the community in smoke and threatened its infrastructure.
A Saskatoon business is encouraging customers to pay with cash instead of a credit card to help fight inflation.
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
Police in Greater Sudbury have charged a 57-year-old Sudbury suspect with sexual assault in a case that dates back 25 years.
A gruesome discovery was made in a remote wooded area of Greater Sudbury on Sunday night, Sudbury police say.
An individual from Cambridge was charged while speeding on Highway 6 in South Bruce Peninsula.
It will be up to city council to decide if a one-hour free parking promotion returns to the core.
Multiple ceremonies were held Monday to mark the beginning of construction of several new schools and childcare centres across the London region.
Police continue to investigate a golf cart theft in the Township of Oro-Medonte, as eleven carts were stolen from Settlers' Ghost Golf Club just over a week ago.
County Road 27 is closed due to an ongoing collision investigation.
Search and recovery teams resumed their efforts on Lake St. George in Severn Township to find a missing 30-year-old man who disappeared on Friday afternoon.
A section of downtown Windsor has been closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic after a sinkhole opened up in the middle of an intersection.
A 19-year-old motorcycle driver has died after being struck by a car on Sunday evening. Around 8:30 p.m., police responded to the crash in the southbound lanes of Dougall Avenue near the E.C. Row Expressway.
Sentencing has been delayed for a Windsor denturist convicted of sex offences.
British Columbia's highest court has ordered the Green Party of Canada's deputy leader to be released from custody pending her appeal of a 60-day jail sentence for her role in old-growth logging protests on Vancouver Island.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority is downplaying what staff describe as a cockroach infestation in a medical unit of Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
Dozens of London Drugs stores across Western Canada remained closed Monday following what the company described as a "cybersecurity incident" over the weekend.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
Thousands of people dressed as dinosaurs descended on Drumheller, Alta., on Saturday.
Decades after a relic aircraft flew for a Lethbridge airline, it now has returned home for good.
Three locations, more than 200 vehicles pulled over – Mounties out of a southern Alberta detachment conducted a check stop operation on Friday night.
A worker was treated on-site at Algoma Steel on Monday when a fire broke out in a piece of equipment.
The Smile Cookie campaign kicked off at Tim Hortons locations across northeastern Ontario on Monday.
A first-of-its-kind event aimed at sharpening the skills of volunteer firefighters across the region was held in Iron Bridge on the weekend.
Tributes continue to pour in for Bob Cole as his family has confirmed a funeral will be held for the legendary broadcaster Friday in St. John's, N.L.
Legendary sportscaster Bob Cole was a Newfoundlander through and through, and his daughter says his connection to the province was 'everything' to him.
Cenovus Energy has been ordered to pay a $2.5-million fine for its role in the largest offshore oil spill ever recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
