2016 AIHL Season

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Teams are as follows, in ladder order:

Melbourne Ice
Perth Thunder
Newcastle North Stars
Canberra Brave
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Melbourne Mustangs
Sydney Bears
Sydney Ice Dogs
Adelaide Adrenaline

This weekend is the finals weekend. Two semi-finals on Saturday (Ice vs Brave and Thunder vs North Stars)
The two winning teams face off in the grand final the next day (Sunday)

All finals games are hosted in Melbourne as it is clearly the best ice hockey arena in Australia and it sits in the best spot.
Perth play at the Perth Ice Arena, but you'll have to wait until next season to see them there. I've heard it's about 25 mins from the city.

Finals won't be livestreamed this year as it costs too much and they're actually struggling to sell out the venue unfortunately. They will be shown on foxtel later.

I'm not disappointed that it's not being livestreamed as the community put in $$$ to fund it last year, it turned out to be probably the best finals series we've ever had and people outside the community didn't really tune in.

Perth Thunder have a youtube channel with replays of their games if you want to get a feel for them and their arena. Remember that the league is very, very far from NHL quality. Our very best players are guys that get drafted in the NHL in later rounds and never quite made it. The best Aussie players are typically a step or two below them. It's still fun to watch once you grasp how to follow the teams/league properly.
 
Thanks for all that info, what a legend!

I understand that it will be nowhere near NHL quality or speed because I have a friend I used to play with and he said I could probably get a run with one of these teams haha

I'm not that keen to watch on a screen, I'd love to just get to the arena, have a few beers and watch it by the glass. Love me live sport.

Spewing I'm not gonna be able to watch it in Perth but I'm actually in Melb next weekend- hopefully the games are played on the weekend.
 

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Well that was a long 7 hours in an ice rink.

Two overtime games. CBR vs Newcastle in the grand final.

Things were good and competitive in the Ice vs CBR game. Refs ****ed up and gave a weak ass game misconduct against the Ice for checking to the head. This was after they let play go on for full minute and only decided to make a call after the CBR player skated all the way to the bench, bleeding all over the ice. It was worth a penalty, but not a game misconduct.

The score at the time was 2 - 2, but the Ice managed to rally and kill most of the 5 min penalty before getting one of their own. CBR then scored with about 5 mins left and we looked rooted. We got a powerplay and didn't capitalise... Then the great Dane Lasse Lassen scored in the final minute.. But the refs didn't notice it go in. So he skated around celebrating his goal while play continued. The refs conferred at the next whistle and gave it a goal. 3 - 3

Ice controlled most of the overtime, but like in the grand final last year got caught out the back. CBR d-man snuck out of the penalty box, got the puck and scored. 3rd bad end to a season in a row, but we'll live on.

Perth and Newcastle came out, couldn't see half the rink due to Newcastle players choosing to stand at their bench rather than sit down. The game was close but pretty boring after the crowd sat through probably the most interesting AIHL game I've seen. Both teams fans didn't really travel well either so the atmosphere was really dead. Perth lead 2 - 1 heading into the 3rd but Newy got a late goal. Overtime started and things were still pretty dull, friend next to me didn't even realise it was overtime! Scott Swiston banged in a rebound to win, can't say I saw the goal due to Newcastle campaigners standing at their bench.

Anything could happen in the GF tomorrow. CBR get Blunden back but I don't have faith in their goaltending. The Ice sent too many shots high and at his *ing chest, the bloke shits the bed easy but we stuffed around with it.

I'll back Newcastle in tomorrow but CBR should be favourites heading in. I've never really rated Newy's tender but he shut me up a few times today.
Also felt like CBR beat us on emotion, and in sport I've seen so many teams crash when they rely on it heavily.
 
Newcastle won their sixth Goodall Cup. Undoubtedly the best club in the AIHL. At the start of the year they lost the 2015 best D-man on top of the league/finals MVP and came out and beat em in a grand final.

Newcastle tender Davis gets the finals MVP award.

Not sure what else to say, decent game where the team with the most experience got the job done.

I won't lie, it was pretty good seeing the smugness wiped from CBR faces after what went down the day before.

Now just 8 months of offseason....
 
The Adrenaline's immediate future is looking murky once again sadly, with the Ice Arena's owner continuing to cry poor and threatening to shut the place down.

http://www.triplem.com.au/adelaide/...aide-family-favourite-could-be-shutting-down/

Sounds like the current owner is itching to close the place down and redevelop the site.

Thankfully plans for Playford Arena are well advanced, and providing the last little bit of investment comes through, Playford Arena could become reality by late next year (there's a story about it on the Ten News Adelaide's Facebook page)

Hopefully the Ice Arena can last until then.
 
Seems to be very little middle ground here. On the verge of collapse while also staring down the barrel of a bright future. S.A and it's ice hockey history deserve a strong club, so just get it done.

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New Melbourne Ice jersey arrived today, fully customized. It cost an arm and a leg but credit to the club, it's top quality.

Rematch Athletic have worked with the club on them, I'd love to see other AIHL clubs start working with them. They've been working with Premier A clubs in Melbourne, designing jerseys and hockey bags and they are real quality.

Took the Ice from an outdated printed jersey, to the best in the league and better than a lot of overseas jerseys.
 
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Here's what it will look similar to. The arena would also be able to be used for concerts, basketball and more.
http://www.icerinksadelaide.com.au/playford-arena-1

ralston%20ice%20hockey%203.jpg
 
Here's what it will look similar to. The arena would also be able to be used for concerts, basketball and more.
http://www.icerinksadelaide.com.au/playford-arena-1

ralston%20ice%20hockey%203.jpg

If they can get a couple of Thunderbirds games in addition to Adrenaline games (it'll probably be too small a capacity for 36ers matches, unless they wanted to play 1-2 Wednesday night games there) the stadium could be an all round success.

It's also part of a proposed major revitalisation of Elizabeth to counter the impending Holden's closure.

Really hope it get off the ground
 
It's the first of 3 rinks he's planning though apparently, and Adelaide desperately needs a replacement for the Ice Arena
Replacing it on the same spot would be better though, especially with the Tram nearby. It's semi-accessible by PT (Depending on where you come from, most people would have to go to town before getting on the tram). Parking is an issue for the typical Adelaide person who is too elite to catch PT.
 

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Replacing it on the same spot would be better though, especially with the Tram nearby. It's semi-accessible by PT (Depending on where you come from, most people would have to go to town before getting on the tram). Parking is an issue for the typical Adelaide person who is too elite to catch PT.

True, but let's face it that's never going to happen. The current Ice Arena owners are hell bent on closing the arena down and redeveloping the site.

The Playford Ice Arena is relatively close to PT, and there'll be plenty of car spaces (which won't have condenstation falling on them :D). Sure, it's in an outer suburb, but it wouldn't be the only AIHL venue to be out in the outer suburbs.
 
True, but let's face it that's never going to happen. The current Ice Arena owners are hell bent on closing the arena down and redeveloping the site.

The Playford Ice Arena is relatively close to PT, and there'll be plenty of car spaces (which won't have condenstation falling on them :D). Sure, it's in an outer suburb, but it wouldn't be the only AIHL venue to be out in the outer suburbs.
Yes but its in Playford. You need to catch PT with all the other weirdos. Either that or you get your car stolen.
 
Should be a decent night, but a little worried about missing 6 guys to the Aus team.

Mustangs at least have a high quality import and the bulk of their squad playing tomorrow.

Didn't even realise Mustangs had games against them until two days ago. Pretty decent for NZ to get a 4 game build up to worlds.
 
Should be a decent night, but a little worried about missing 6 guys to the Aus team.

Mustangs at least have a high quality import and the bulk of their squad playing tomorrow.

Didn't even realise Mustangs had games against them until two days ago. Pretty decent for NZ to get a 4 game build up to worlds.

Mustangs were down 4-1 early in the last, came back to end 4-4 heading into 3on3 OT and defended really well. Ending up winning in a shootout! Was a good game hope to back it up tomorrow
 
Considering going with my mate to the Ice vs Mustangs game this Thursday night.

I'm quite keen on going for a skate beforehand, and I see that they have public skating from 9am to 10pm, I suppose on the secondary rink next to the pro one (I have been there once before).

Anyone else done that? Combine a skate with watching the game? I wonder if they have some discounted 2 for 1 style tickets...

And speaking of tickets, do you have to buy in advance? I figured with both Melbourne teams playing and it being a small arena it could be important.
 
Considering going with my mate to the Ice vs Mustangs game this Thursday night.

I'm quite keen on going for a skate beforehand, and I see that they have public skating from 9am to 10pm, I suppose on the secondary rink next to the pro one (I have been there once before).

Anyone else done that? Combine a skate with watching the game? I wonder if they have some discounted 2 for 1 style tickets...

And speaking of tickets, do you have to buy in advance? I figured with both Melbourne teams playing and it being a small arena it could be important.
i havent got any info for you but I got an idea for a date tomorrow lmaoo

ice skating plus live sport.

genius, really.
 
Considering going with my mate to the Ice vs Mustangs game this Thursday night.

I'm quite keen on going for a skate beforehand, and I see that they have public skating from 9am to 10pm, I suppose on the secondary rink next to the pro one (I have been there once before).

Anyone else done that? Combine a skate with watching the game? I wonder if they have some discounted 2 for 1 style tickets...

And speaking of tickets, do you have to buy in advance? I figured with both Melbourne teams playing and it being a small arena it could be important.
I bought tics on arrival last derby. Turned out to be standing. Which I prefer.
 

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