2014 AIHL season


The 2014 AIHL season was the 15th season of the Australian Ice Hockey League. It ran from 12 April 2014 until 24 August 2014, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 30 and 31 August. The Melbourne Mustangs won both the H Newman Reid Trophy for finishing first in the regular season, and the Goodall Cup after defeating the Melbourne Ice in the final.

League business

In October 2013 it was confirmed that the Gold Coast Blue Tongues would remain suspended for the 2014 season. The team have until the 2015 season before their licence is reviewed. On 26 February 2014 Canberra Knights owner John Raut announced that the team had folded operations effective immediately and would not be competing in the upcoming 2014 season. Raut cited financial costs, lack of local players and poor performance as the reasons behind the move. The following day it was announced that the player group headed by captain Mark Rummukainen had approached the league with plans on taking on the club's licence. The following month the league announced that they had granted a provisional licence to a Canberra consortium, which involved the player group, to take on the licence and replace the Knights in the 2014 season. The new team was announced as the CBR Brave. The Melbourne Mustangs announced in March 2014 that they had signed a deal with MOAT: Mental Health Services who will become the teams naming sponsors for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The team's name will change to MOAT: Melbourne Mustangs Ice Hockey Club. Air Canada expanded their sponsorship of the AIHL to the entire 2014 season after last year sponsoring the 2013 finals series. They also announced they will continue to show a highlights package of the 2013 finals series as part of their in-flight entertainment until the end of June. They will then replace it with the 2014 Canada Day Classic between the Sydney Bears and Melbourne Mustangs and the 2014 AIHL finals series.

Exhibition games

The first exhibition game was held in November 2013 with the Sydney Bears playing a match against former AIHL team, the Central Coast Rhinos. The Rhinos who previously played in the AIHL from 2005 to 2008 went on to win the game 8–4. A second game involving the Bears and Rhinos was held in March 2014 with the Bears winning 8–2. In February 2014 it was announced that the pre season tournament, the Wilson Cup, would be revived. The tournament was last played in 2009 and was won by the Rhinos. The 2014 edition features the Newcastle North Stars, Sydney Bears and the Sydney Ice Dogs. The tournament features a round robin of the three teams and finishes with a final between the top two placed teams. In started on 16 March and finished on 5 April. In the opening game of the Wilson Cup the North Stars defeated the Bears 4–3 in a shootout. The North Stars however lost game two to the Ice Dogs 5–4 in a shootout. In the last game of the round robin the Ice Dogs defeated the Sydney Bears 8–1 and they finished first in the standings. The Ice Dogs were drawn against the North Stars in the final who finished the round robin in second place. The Ice Dogs defeated the North Stars 4–2, winning their first Wilson Cup title. On 27 March the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs held an exhibition game at the Medibank Icehouse with the Ice defeating the Mustangs 8–3. On 3 and 5 April the Australian national team held two exhibition games against the Mustangs and Ice. The two games were played at the Medibank Icehouse and were held as part of the teams preparation for the 2014 IIHF World Championship Division II Group A tournament being held in Serbia from 9 to 15 April. Australia won both of the games, defeating the Mustangs 9–3 and the Ice 4–1.

Personnel changes

In November 2013 Melbourne Ice announced that assistant coach Brent Laver has been promoted to the head coach position, replacing Sandy Gardner who had been in the job for only the 2013 season. The team also announced that former player, Glen Mayer had signed on as an assistant coach, along with former Swedish First Division player, Johan Steenberg, who was appointed back in June 2013. Just prior to the start of the season Perth Thunder Coach Stan Scott announced that he had stepped down as head coach in order to focus on the General Manager operations of the club. Scott was replaced by Dylan Forsythe as head coach and but remained on the coaching panel as an assistant. After eight games into the season it was announced that Forsythe had stepped down as head coach effective immediately for unknown reasons. He was replaced by Stan Scott who agreed to take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. On 24 April 2014 the Sydney Ice Dogs head coach Ron Kuprowsky and his assistants Colin Downie and Brad Andrlon had resigned from their positions. The club appointed Dion Dunwoodie as interim head coach with Mark Page and Anthony Wilson as his assistants. On 9 May 2014 the Ice Dogs signed Andrew Petrie as their new head coach.

Player transfers

Players signed
PlayerPrevious teamNew team
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
No teamMelbourne Ice
Newcastle North Stars ECSLNewcastle North Stars
No teamSydney Bears
No teamSydney Bears
No teamMelbourne Ice
No teamNewcastle North Stars
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
University of OttawaCBR Brave
Adelaide BlackhawksAdelaide Adrenaline
Sherbrooke CougarsMelbourne Ice
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
No teamAdelaide Adrenaline
Gander FlyersAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamMelbourne Ice
No teamCBR Brave
ECSL VipersSydney Bears
Fayetteville FireAntzSydney Ice Dogs
No teamCBR Brave
No teamMelbourne Ice
Melbourne WhalersMelbourne Mustangs
Shellbrook ElksNewcastle North Stars
VikingarSydney Bears
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Adelaide TigersAdelaide Adrenaline
Quad City MallardsPerth Thunder
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Cockburn HawksPerth Thunder
Louisiana IceGatorsMelbourne Mustangs
Perth PelicansPerth Thunder
Perth ThunderMelbourne Ice
Sydney SabresNewcastle North Stars
Okotoks DrillersCBR Brave
Melbourne GlaciersMelbourne Ice
No teamMelbourne Ice
Melbourne IceMelbourne Mustangs
Melbourne IceMelbourne Mustangs
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Lidingö VikingsMelbourne Ice
No teamPerth Thunder
No teamMelbourne Ice
Sydney HeatSydney Bears
TuToCBR Brave
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
Sydney SabresNewcastle North Stars
No teamCBR Brave
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Piteå HC J20Adelaide Adrenaline
Fayetteville FireAntzAdelaide Adrenaline
Park City PioneersSydney Bears
Sydney SabresSydney Bears
University of OttawaNewcastle North Stars
No teamAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamSydney Bears
Perth SharksAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamCBR Brave
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
Sydney Wolf PackNewcastle North Stars
Massachusetts Junior MarinersSydney Bears
No teamPerth Thunder
Rimbo IFSydney Ice Dogs
University of OttawaCBR Brave
Nittorps IKSydney Bears
No teamAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamAdelaide Adrenaline
KeuPa HTCBR Brave
No teamNewcastle North Stars
Sydney Wolf PackNewcastle North Stars
Newcastle North StarsCBR Brave
No teamPerth Thunder
No teamAdelaide Adrenaline
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
Massachusetts Junior MarinersSydney Ice Dogs
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Sydney SabresNewcastle North Stars
Ferencvárosi TCMelbourne Mustangs
Sydney Wolf PackSydney Bears
Hull StingraysMelbourne Ice
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
Herlev EaglesAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
No teamSydney Bears
Huntsville HavocPerth Thunder
Sydney Wolf PackSydney Bears
Canberra KnightsNewcastle North Stars
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Perth SharksPerth Thunder
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
Fayetteville FireAntzPerth Thunder
St. James CanucksCBR Brave
Perth PelicansPerth Thunder
St. James CanucksCBR Brave
No teamSydney Bears
Louisiana IceGatorsNewcastle North Stars
Canberra KnightsCBR Brave
Palm Beach HawksPerth Thunder

Players lost
PlayerPrevious teamNew team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Sydney BearsECSL Sting
Sydney BearsNo team
Canberra KnightsHaringey Racers
Sydney BearsSydney Heat
Perth ThunderMarian University
Adelaide AdrenalineAnglet Hormadi Élite
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Blackhawks
Canberra KnightsColumbus Cottonmouths
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Tigers
Melbourne IceNo team
Perth ThunderMississippi Surge
Sydney BearsSydney Wolf Pack
Newcastle North StarsTEV Miesbach
Perth ThunderNo team
Melbourne IceNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Perth ThunderUniversity of Oklahoma
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Falcons
Newcastle North StarsNo team
Melbourne IceNo team
Canberra KnightsNo team
Perth ThunderEC VSV
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Melbourne IceBraehead Clan
Canberra KnightsNo team
Canberra KnightsNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Melbourne IceEV Füssen
Perth ThunderMelbourne Ice
Adelaide AdrenalineBraehead Clan
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Perth ThunderNo team
Melbourne IceMelbourne Mustangs
Melbourne IceMelbourne Mustangs
Perth ThunderWest Auckland Admirals
Sydney BearsNo team
Canberra KnightsTuTo
Sydney BearsHK Kurbads
Newcastle North StarsNo team
Sydney Ice DogsWhitby Dunlops
Sydney BearsECSL Sting
Sydney BearsNo team
Sydney BearsHC Risuty
Perth ThunderWest Coast Flyers
Canberra KnightsSt. Charles Chill
Sydney BearsNo team
Canberra KnightsRetired
Sydney BearsECSL Sting
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Perth ThunderNo team
Perth ThunderNo team
Melbourne IceNo team
Newcastle North StarsBrampton Beast
Newcastle North StarsRetired
Sydney BearsNo team
Sydney BearsNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Newcastle North StarsHuntsville Havoc
Adelaide AdrenalineWatertown Privateers
Adelaide AdrenalineArizona Sundogs
Adelaide AdrenalineWest Auckland Admirals
Melbourne IceNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineBelfast Giants
Canberra KnightsNo team
Sydney Ice DogsBloomington Thunder
Newcastle North StarsCBR Brave
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Redwings
Perth ThunderElora Rocks
Canberra KnightsNo team
Sydney BearsNo team
Canberra KnightsNo team
Sydney BearsECSL Sting
Adelaide AdrenalineNo team
Canberra KnightsTöreboda HF
Perth ThunderOntario Hockey Academy U18
Sydney BearsNo team
Sydney Ice DogsSydney Wolf Pack
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Perth ThunderNo team
Canberra KnightsAnglet Hormadi Élite
Melbourne IceNo team
Perth ThunderArizona Sundogs
Newcastle North StarsNo team
Melbourne MustangsTallinn Viiking-Sport
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Redwings
Perth ThunderNo team
Sydney Ice DogsRetired
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Falcons

Regular season

The regular season started on 12 April 2014 and ran through to 1 September 2014 before the top four teams compete in the Goodall Cup playoff series. Game 35 between the Newcastle North Stars and the Sydney Ice Dogs had to be postponed due to the North Stars bus breaking down en route to Liverpool. The game was later rescheduled for 22 June 2014 and will be played at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium in Newcastle. Game 77 between the Adelaide Adrenaline and CBR Brave had to be postponed after the Adrenalines team bus crashed en route to the Phillip Ice Skating Centre. Head Coach Ryan O'Handley and some players were taken to hospital however none of the injuries were serious. Game 79 which was set to be held the following day between the Adrenaline and the Sydney Bears was also postponed. On 31 July it was announced that both games had been cancelled as the teams involved had been unable to reschedule the games. As a result, the AIHL Commission awarded each team one point for the cancelled games, with the Adrenaline getting one point from each game and the Brave and Bears awarded one point each from their respective games.
The Melbourne Mustangs won the H Newman Reid Trophy after finishing first in the regular season with 54 points. In the final week of the regular season the AIHL released the list of finalists for the 2014 awards. Mathieu Ouelette of the CBR Brave, Jack Wolgemuth of the Melbourne Mustangs and the Sydney Ice Dogs' Simon Barg were nominated as the Most Valuable Player, with Barg going on to win the award. Petri Pitkänen of the CBR Brave, Mathieu Dugas of the Perth Thunder and the Sydney Bears' Daniel Palmkvist were nominated for the Goaltender of the Year award with Petri Pitkänen being named the winner. Niko Suoraniemi of the Adelaide Adrenaline, John Kennedy of the Newcastle North Stars and the Melbourne Mustangs' Jack Wolgemuth were nominated for the Defenceman of the Year award with Wolgemuth being announced the winner. Jeremy Brown of the Melbourne Ice, Jamie Woodman of the Perth Thunder and the Newcastle North Stars Hayden Sheard were all nominated as the Rookie of the Year award with Jeremy Brown taking the award. David Dunwoodie of the Sydney Ice Dogs won the award for Local Player of the Year.

April

May

June

July

August

Standings

Qualified for the Goodall Cup playoffsH Newman Reid Trophy winners

Statistics

Scoring leaders

List shows the ten top skaters sorted by points, then goals.
PlayerTeam
Sydney Ice Dogs2623466920F
CBR Brave2436326859F
CBR Brave2517425918F
CBR Brave2217405716F
Sydney Ice Dogs28203353151F
Newcastle North Stars2317324996F
Newcastle North Stars2817314877F
Sydney Ice Dogs2322234564F
Melbourne Mustangs2821234414F
Perth Thunder2814304440F

Leading goaltenders

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage with a minimum 40% of the teams ice time.
PlayerTeam
Perth Thunder13961099923.300.9161
Melbourne Ice876446392.230.9132
CBR Brave1227764722.930.9060
Sydney Bears1040806803.850.9011
Newcastle North Stars1295881893.440.8991

Season awards

Below lists the 2014 AIHL regular season award winners.
AwardNameTeam
Simon BargSydney Ice Dogs
Petri PitkänenCBR Brave
Jack WolgemuthMelbourne Mustangs
Jeremy BrownMelbourne Ice
David DunwoodieSydney Ice Dogs

Goodall Cup playoffs

The 2014 playoffs started on 30 August 2014, with the Goodall Cup final being held on 31 August. Following the end of the regular season the top four teams advanced to the playoff series with the Melbourne Mustangs and CBR Brave making their debut playoff appearance, along with the other two finalists the Melbourne Ice and Sydney Ice Dogs. All three games were held at the Medibank Icehouse in Docklands, Victoria, the home of the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs. The series was a single game elimination with the two winning semi-finalists advancing to the Goodall Cup final. The finals were sponsored by Air Canada who also sponsored the 2013 playoffs. The Melbourne Mustangs won the Goodall Cup for the first time after defeating the Melbourne Ice in the final. Viktor Gibbs Sjödin of the Melbourne Mustangs was named the finals MVP.

Semi-finals

All times are

Final