We caught up with Team Argentina in Miami for the LatAm Cup. 

Some live in Argentina, some in the States, and they’re all beauties. 

We hung out, talked hockey, and watched practice. Had a photoshoot, went to the beach, and got pizza.

Y’know, hockey guys being dudes.

They invited us to tag along to dinner one night. An Argentine restaurant in Miami Beach. 

It was actually a banquet to unveil their new uniforms and kick off the tourney. 

That night I learned three things. 

Their pizza is delicious — meat and cheese is kind of their thing. Their beer is smooth — shoutout Quilmes.

And they roll deep.

The whole federation was there. 

All on their own dime. They’re an amateur team with little support from the government ministry of sport, after all. The Argentine Peso saw 28% inflation the week before the tournament. Point being, they really wanted to be there. 

The women's team, the B team, and the junior team. And the man who brought hockey to Argentina when he started the Federation, head coach Jorge Fortunato Haiek.

At standing room only capacity, we toasted the Lions and called it a night. 

Later that week, Team Argentina won the LatAm Cup in double OT.

Naturally, Owen Haiek, their captain who is heavily featured on this page, was the one who buried for the hat trick. 

Team Argentina is on the rise and will soon compete in officially sanctioned IIHF events. 

We’ll be here to root them on.

—SK