Subaru has signed as the official car partner for ice hockey's intercontinental Victoria Cup.

This year's event will see the Zurich Lions, the inaugural Champions Hockey League winners, take on the Chicago Blackhawks, who reached the semi-final in this year’s NHL Stanley Cup play offs.

Subaru marketing director Switzerland, Werner Bärtschi, said: "We are delighted to be involved in the Victoria Cup. The ZSC Lions’ Champions Hockey League victory in January captured the Swiss public’s imagination and this event will really show how they match up against the NHL’s best. Subaru in Switzerland has gone from strength to strength in the last few years and sales have continued to grow. The Victoria Cup is a high profile occasion and we are looking forward to supporting and getting full value from the event."

Tom Houston, chief operating officer of Ovation Sports, marketers of the Champions League commented: "It’s great to have a dynamic brand like Subaru as the official car partner of the Victoria Cup. This year’s Victoria Cup will be a real showcase for ice hockey in Switzerland with both Davos and the Zurich Lions competing against the Blackhawks and there is little doubt that the public increasingly want to see European teams compete against the NHL."