The official championship mascot executed the first symbolic face-off in the Steel Arena.

Goooly – the official 2011 IIHF World Championship mascot was introduced to the public for the first time in his life-size form. Spectators at the Košice Steel Arena were the first to see him during a 3rd round Slovnaft Extraleague game between HC Košice and  MsHK DOXXbet Žilina. In one of the two home venues in which he is set to entertain the public during the 2011 IIHF World Championship,  Goooly executed the first symbolic face-off in the first HC Košice home game of the season.

The grey wolf – dressed in the Slovak national top – was created by a specialist company by the name of Création Animation Mascottes from Quebec; a company which employs some 81 professional animators. The life-size Goooly took two months to make.

The creator of the name of the official mascot for the most significant sporting event ever to be held on Slovak soil – is Peter Hanzlík from city Michalovce. His entry was the one which was selected from among 14 000 others by the organizing comittee in a competition organized in collaboration with Radio Expres. The mascot design was drafted by the VACULIK ADVERTISING agency, in particular by art director - Peter Hrevuš.