Cuban American Team Wins 2024 Amerigol LATAM Cup

The Cuban American Men's Team captured gold at the Amerigol LATAM Cup, hosted by the Florida Panthers.

Feb 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the face-off circle and an NHL puck and the Dallas Stars logo and hockey sticks during a face-off in the third period of the game between the Dallas Stars and the New York Islanders at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL season is set to begin soon, but with training camp and the preseason still a few weeks away, most organizations like the Florida Panthers are participating in a variety of other hockey endeavors. The Panthers just finished hosting the Amerigol LATAM Cup, a tournament featuring a variety of international competitors. The event, which has tournaments from youth ages all the way up through men's and women's divisions, saw the Cuban American team capture the gold medal in their first appearance with the men.

Thanks to sponsorship from organizations like the Panthers and the NHLPA, the Amerigol LATAM Cup has grown since it's founding in 2018. According to the organization's website, this competition is "where non-traditional hockey markets come together to redefine the landscape of international ice hockey, proving that the love for the game knows no boundaries."

This year's event featured over 1,000 players from 17 different countries spread across seven different divisions. NHL.com contributor William Douglas was on hand as the Cuban American team took on Greece in the men's division I championship game. The Panthers' practice facility, the Florida Panthers IceDen, hosted the matchup.

The Panthers' practice facility, the Florida Panthers IceDen, hosted the matchup. The Cuban American squad scored a go ahead goal with less than 10 minutes remaining in the third period and received 33 saves from University of Alabama club hockey netminder Tyler Terranova to secure a 4-3 victory. Douglas spoke with Terranova, who expressed how surprised and honored he was to represent his Cuban heritage.

"I was very honored,” he said. “I honestly had no clue we had this many Cuban Americans that play hockey. The talent that we have, who knows how many more are out there and what we can build with them?"

The event is a win for the NHL and hockey in general. The tournament is a growing part of the game's efforts to expand the game to different parts of the globe and increase access to it. The Cuban American Men's Team is the latest success story of how impactful those efforts can be.

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