AIHL Week 16 Wrap

James Lane

Week 16 of the AIHL season delivered a mixed bag of thrashings, comebacks, and one-way traffic, with the Thunder and Brave splitting a fiery double-header, the Lightning leaking goals across two losses, and the Mustangs clawing back into playoff relevance with a big win.

Thunder and Brave Split

The Perth Thunder’s weekend was a tale of two nights. Saturday saw them deliver a stunning 11–2 demolition of the Brave in Perth that was over by the first intermission and only got uglier from there. Yu Hikosaka was electric with four goals and two assists, while Robert Lachowicz dished out five helpers in a display of pure dominance.

But Sunday flipped the script. After leading 1–0 through the first period in the rematch, the Thunder were blindsided by a Brave onslaught in the second, conceding four unanswered goals en route to a 6–3 defeat. With the split, Perth stay second on the table, three points clear of Canberra, but the missed sweep may loom large come playoff seeding.

Northstars Stay Hot, Rhinos Still Struggling

The Northstars handled the Central Coast Rhinos 6–3, powered by a clinical third period that saw them pour in four goals to ice the game. Evgenii Skachkov notched a hat trick, while Wehebe Darge added a goal and three assists in a commanding performance.

The Rhinos showed some life in the second period with a 3–1 burst, but it wasn’t enough to mask the gap between the two sides. Central Coast remain anchored to the bottom of the standings, while the Northstars stay tight with the Brave and Thunder in the crowded mid-tier playoff race.

Mustangs Blow Past Lightning, Climb the Ladder

Melbourne’s other club, the Mustangs, reversed their recent downward spiral with a convincing 8–4 win over Brisbane on Saturday. After a 2–2 opening frame, the Mustangs shut the door in the second, posting three unanswered goals to take control. Dean Klomp pulled the strings with four assists, leading a team effort that puts the Mustangs into fifth place and back in postseason contention.

Lightning Burnt Out in Sunday Shootout

Things went from bad to worse for the Lightning 24 hours later, as they were torched 10–6 by the league-leading Melbourne Ice. Carson Miller again shone with a goal and three assists (adding to his two-goal, two-assist performance on Saturday) but his heroics weren’t enough to stop the bleeding.

For the Ice, David Booth was genuinely unstoppable with five goals and three assists, while Joakim Erdugan and Kolton Shindle each had 1+4 nights in a ruthless offensive showing. The win keeps Melbourne Ice comfortably atop the standings at 61 points, 18 ahead of second-place Perth.

Adrenaline Catch a Breather

The Adelaide Adrenaline had the week off but remain in seventh place with 23 points. With just a handful of games left, they’ll need a miracle to close the gap on sixth-place Brisbane, who sit ten points clear.