AIHL Review: Northstars strengthen grip on top as Bears surge and Brave stun Thunder

James Lane

Week 10 delivered huge swings in momentum, statement victories, and perhaps the clearest sign yet that Newcastle remain the benchmark of the competition. The Northstars completed a perfect weekend against fellow contenders, Canberra shocked Perth before being crushed in the rematch, and the Bears put together one of the strongest rounds of any team in the league.

Brisbane Lightning 7 – 6 Melbourne Mustangs

Saturday opened with one of the games of the season.

Brisbane stormed out of the gates, racing to a 3–0 lead by the first intermission. The Mustangs gradually worked their way back into the contest and trailed just 3–2 after the second period.

What followed was a frantic final frame featuring eight goals. Both sides traded punches throughout a 4–4 third period, but Brisbane held on to complete a thrilling one-goal victory.

Newcastle Northstars 6 – 4 Central Coast Rhinos

The Rhinos started brightly and led 1–0 after the first period, but Newcastle steadily took control.

The Northstars moved ahead 2–1 by the second break before pulling away late. Evgenii Skachkov continued his remarkable season with three goals and two assists, once again proving the difference for the league leaders.

Sydney Bears 6 – 4 Sydney Ice Dogs

The Bears claimed bragging rights in the Sydney derby and picked up a crucial result in the race for finals positioning.

The Ice Dogs mounted a late charge, winning the third period 3–1, but the comeback fell just short. Lucas Hermann was outstanding for Sydney, finishing with two goals and three assists.

Canberra Brave 5 – 1 Perth Thunder

The surprise result of the day came in Canberra.

The Brave largely controlled proceedings and kept Perth scoreless until the third period. By then the game was effectively over, with Canberra producing one of their most complete performances of the season.

Adelaide Adrenaline 3 – 2 Melbourne Ice

Adelaide finally had something to celebrate.

In a gritty, low-scoring contest, the Adrenaline earned a valuable victory after a game that was scoreless through the first period and tied 1–1 after the second. It wasn’t flashy, but it was exactly the type of result Adelaide have been searching for all year.

Perth Thunder 8 – 4 Canberra Brave

Perth’s response on Sunday was emphatic.

After Saturday’s disappointment, the Thunder exploded offensively, leading 3–2 after the first period and then effectively ending the contest with a dominant 4–1 second frame.

The split leaves Perth firmly entrenched among the competition’s leading contenders.

Melbourne Mustangs 10 – 6 Brisbane Lightning

The second meeting between Brisbane and Melbourne somehow produced even more goals than the first.

This time it was the Mustangs who controlled the key stretch, turning a close game into a comfortable win with a devastating 5–1 second period.

Brody Crane delivered one of the standout performances of the round with three goals and four assists.

Sydney Bears 5 – 3 Central Coast Rhinos

The Bears completed a perfect weekend with another impressive victory.

The game remained deadlocked throughout much of the afternoon, tied 2–2 after the first period and 3–3 after the second. Sydney found another gear in the final period, scoring twice while shutting out the Rhinos to secure the result.

Newcastle Northstars 6 – 3 Sydney Ice Dogs

Newcastle completed a six-point weekend by defeating another top-four rival.

The Ice Dogs stayed competitive for long stretches, but the Northstars again found the answers when they needed them. Evgenii Skachkov continued his incredible run of form with two goals and two assists.

Melbourne Ice 7 – 3 Adelaide Adrenaline

For a brief moment Adelaide looked capable of securing a weekend sweep.

The Adrenaline led 2–0 after the first period, but the game completely flipped after that. Melbourne responded with three unanswered goals in the second before piling on four more in the third to run away with the contest.

Standings

Newcastle have opened up a significant lead at the top of the ladder and now sit on 35 points. With back-to-back wins over Central Coast and the Ice Dogs, they strengthened their position against direct rivals and look increasingly well placed for the run home.

Perth remain second on 30 points despite their split weekend, while the Ice Dogs and Bears are now level on 27. The Mustangs sit just behind on 26 after their high-scoring split against Brisbane.

Canberra’s strong recent form continues to pay dividends, lifting them to 24 points and keeping them firmly in the finals hunt. The Rhinos have slipped to 23 after another difficult weekend, while Melbourne Ice climb to 22.

Brisbane move to 19 points after another entertaining pair of games, and Adelaide improve to 7 after finally adding another win to their tally.