AIHL Week 12 Wrap

James Lane

Melbourne Ice continue to set the pace in the AIHL, and it remains an utter logjam behind them. This week, it’s Brisbane Lightning leapfrogging the Thunder and Mustangs after a perfect weekend on the road.

Ice Still Dominant

The dominant Melbourne Ice kept their impressive run rolling with two more wins, starting with a controlled 5-2 victory over their city rivals on Friday night. Mackenzie Caruana and David Booth were instrumental, both picking up a goal and two assists as the Ice turned a 1-1 first period into a comfortable result.

Saturday’s clash with the Newcastle Northstars was less straightforward, with the Ice surviving a late fightback to claim an 8-6 win. Tyrone Bronte led the way with a hat-trick, Joakim Erdugan notched four assists, and Kolton Shindle added three goals and an assist of his own. Despite the Northstars’ third-period resurgence, the damage had already been done.

The two wins keep the Ice firmly on top at 55 points, while the Northstars sit sixth, still battling for playoff relevance.

Brave Blitz Rhinos, But Stay Fifth

In Canberra, the Brave flexed their offensive muscle in a demolition job against Central Coast. The Rhinos held their own in the opening period, trailing just 2-1, but it quickly unravelled. A 4-0 second period and an astonishing seven-goal third blew the scoreline out to 13-2.

Canberra shared the wealth, finishing with ten different goal scorers. Nils Carnback (1G, 4A), Jesperi Viikila (1G, 3A), and Dominic Canic (2G, 2A) led the stat sheet as the Brave cruised to an easy three points. Despite the huge win, they remain in fifth spot, but are now just one win behind the Mustangs and the top four.

Brisbane Reclaim Second

The Lightning-Thunder-Mustangs revolving door continues this week. This time, it's Brisbane's turn to steal second place, after doing the double in Adelaide.

Saturday’s 7-4 win was built on a dominant second period where they outscored the Adrenaline 4-1 after a 2-2 opening frame. Tanner Hopps starred with a hat-trick and an assist.

Sunday’s rematch saw Brisbane recover from a 2-1 deficit after the first period to win 4-2, with Alex Campbell contributing a goal and two assists. The Lightning now leapfrog both Perth and the Mustangs into second.

Mustangs Falter, Northstars Steady

It was a disappointing weekend for the Mustangs, whose stumble sees them drop to fourth, with a real risk of being overtaken by both Canberra and Newcastle in the coming weeks. After Friday’s loss to the Ice, they fell again on Sunday to the Northstars in a wild 8-5 contest.

Newcastle capitalised on several costly Mustangs penalties to take a 3-0 lead in the first period. The Mustangs found a bit more rhythm in the third, pulling it back to 6-5 to set up a thrilling finish , but Newcastle sealed the points with two bizarre late goals that made the final margin look more comfortable than it was.

The Northstars’ two-game split keeps them in sixth, but they continue to look very dangerous after beating the Mustangs and pushing the league leaders all the way in an exciting 8-6 affair.

Adrenaline, Rhinos Left Behind

For Adelaide and Central Coast, the weekend brought little joy. The Adrenaline showed flashes, leading Brisbane after 20 minutes on Sunday, but couldn’t maintain it, failing to score at all in the final two periods. The Rhinos, meanwhile, were simply overwhelmed by the Brave, as their defensive struggles continue.

Both teams remain adrift at the bottom of the standings, with the Rhinos on 12 points and Adelaide just two clear on 14.