2024 AIHL season | |
---|---|
League | Australian Ice Hockey League |
Sport | Ice hockey |
Duration | 6 April 2024 – 25 August 2024 |
Regular season | |
Goodall Cup |
The 2024 AIHL season is the 23nd season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The season consists of 155 total games, split between the 150 games regular season and 5 game Goodall Cup Finals post-season. The regular season is scheduled to run from 6 April to 11 August 2024. The Finals is scheduled to run from 23-25 August 2024 in Melbourne, Australia.
In 2024 the AIHL had 10 teams split into two conferences, Rurak and Hellyer, competing in the league.[1]
Hellyer Conference | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | City | Arena | Head Coach | Captain |
Melbourne Ice | Melbourne | O'Brien Icehouse | Kerry Goulet | Mackenzie Caruana |
Melbourne Mustangs | Melbourne | O'Brien Icehouse | Scott Timmins | Todd Cutter |
Perth Thunder | Perth | Perth Ice Arena | Benjamin Breault | Jamie Woodman |
Sydney Bears | Sydney | Macquarie Ice Rink | Tyler Huberty | Ryan Annesley |
Sydney Ice Dogs | Sydney | Macquarie Ice Rink | Jason Kvisle | Daniel Pataky |
Rurak Conference | ||||
Team | City | Arena | Head Coach | Captain |
Adelaide Adrenaline | Adelaide | Adelaide IceArenA | Stu Henly | Joey MacDougall |
Brisbane Lightning | Brisbane | Boondall Iceworld | Terry Kiliwnik | No Captain |
Canberra Brave | Canberra | Phillip Ice Skating Centre | Stuart Philps | Kai Miettinen |
Central Coast Rhinos | Central Coast | Erina Ice Arena | Ron Kuprowsky | Robert Malloy |
Newcastle Northstars | Newcastle | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | Kevin Noble | Liam Manwarring |
The 2024 regular season fixture list was released publicly by the AIHL on 21 October, confirming all 10 teams from 2023 would be returning to compete in 2024.[2] 2024 AIHL Finals information was released by the league in February 2024, confirming dates and location.[1] The Goodall Cup, H Newman Reid Trophy, Rurak and Hellyer conference trophies would continue to the be prizes AIHL teams would compete for in 2024. The league held its official season launch event at Bondi Icebergs Club on 20 march 2024. Mick McCormack was appointed as the first patron of the AIHL at the event.[3]
The AIHL confirmed AIHL.TV would return in 2024 on 4 March. The paid service would provide live and on-demand online streaming of all AIHL regular season and finals games, 155 games in total.[4] With the sudden collapse of 2023 service provided Clutch in late 2023, the service provider for AIHL.TV in 2024 moved to Swedish company StayLive AB.[5] Thought fox Media Group, ATC Productions, Spacequake Sports and Front Row Screens (FRS Sport) continue as the four local production companies associated with the service. 2023 season streams would also be made available on the service.[6]
In 2024, the Newcastle Northstars and Central Coast Rhinos were the only two teams to schedule exhibitions games. The pair faced off over two games in Newcastle and Erina, Central Coast in March 2024. Apart from these two exhibition games, the Sydney Ice Dogs, Brisbane Lightning and Adelaide Adrenaline arranged intraclub pre-season exhibition games. This included a early March men’s and women’s showcase in Brisbane and a alumni vs current team match-up in Adelaide in early April.[7]
2024 AIHL exhibition games | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location | Recap |
16 March 2024 | 17:00 | Central Coast Rhinos | 8–3 | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | Ref |
23 March 2024 | 15:15 | Newcastle Northstars | 2–3 (OT) | Central Coast Rhinos | Erina Ice Arena | Ref |
Ron Kuprowsky ended his five-year stint with the Sydney Bears as their head coach in October 2023. During this time, Ron guided the Bears to two consecutive grand finals appearances, one Hellyer conference trophy and one championship title.[8] Kuprowsky was later unveiled as the new head coach of the Central Coast Rhinos in December 2023, replacing Ashley Marsh. Marsh moved into a new coaching role with the Rhinos.[9] In February 2024, the Brisbane Lightning announced the hiring of the vastly experienced Canadian Mike Sirant as an associate coach. Sirant joined the Queenslanders after stepping down from his 30-year position as head coach of the University of Manitoba hockey program.[10]
All player transfers by the ten AIHL teams for season 2024.[11][12][13][14]
New signings[edit]
|
Players lost[edit]
|
The 2024 regular season consists of 150 games that are scheduled to run from 6 April to 11 August 2024. Teams are split into two five-team conferences named Rurak and Hellyer. Each team plays a total of 30 regular season games, playing each other team in their conference four times (two at home and two away) and playing teams outside their conference two to three times.[15]
April | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Game # | Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location | Recap |
1 | 6 Apr 2024 | 16:45 | Perth Thunder | 6–8 | Brisbane Lightning | Iceworld Boondall | [1] |
2 | 6 Apr 2024 | 17:00 | Canberra Brave | 3–7 | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | [2] |
3 | 6 Apr 2024 | 17:00 | Central Coast Rhinos | 1–11 | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [3] |
4 | 6 Apr 2024 | 17:00 | Sydney Ice Dogs | 2–6 | Sydney Bears | Macquarie Ice Rink | [4] |
5 | 7 Apr 2024 | 14:00 | Central Coast Rhinos | 0–9 | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [5] |
6 | 7 Apr 2024 | 15:45 | Perth Thunder | 5–1 | Brisbane Lightning | Iceworld Boondall | [6] |
7 | 7 Apr 2024 | 17:00 | Canberra Brave | 6–1 | Sydney Ice Dogs | Macquarie Ice Rink | [7] |
8 | 13 Apr 2024 | 15:30 | Newcastle Northstars | 14–1 | Central Coast Rhinos | Erina Ice Arena | [8] |
9 | 13 Apr 2024 | 16:30 | Sydney Bears | 3–4 | Adelaide Adrenaline | Adelaide Ice Arena | [9] |
10 | 13 Apr 2024 | 16:30 | Canberra Brave | 2–7 | Perth Thunder | Perth Ice Arena | [10] |
11 | 13 Apr 2024 | 17:00 | Brisbane Lightning | 2–5 | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [11] |
12 | 14 Apr 2024 | 14:00 | Brisbane Lightning | 4–7 | Melbourne Mustangs | O’Brien Icehouse | [12] |
13 | 14 Apr 2024 | 16:00 | Sydney Ice Dogs | 3–7 | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | [13] |
14 | 14 Apr 2024 | 16:30 | Canberra Brave | 3–6 | Perth Thunder | Perth Ice Arena | [14] |
15 | 19 Apr 2024 | 19:30 | Sydney Bears | 9–2 | Sydney Ice Dogs | Macquarie Ice Rink | [15] |
16 | 20 Apr 2024 | 15:30 | Sydney Bears | 8–4 | Central Coast Rhinos | Erina Ice Arena | [16] |
17 | 20 Apr 2024 | 17:00 | Perth Thunder | 5–2 | Melbourne Mustangs | O’Brien Icehouse | [17] |
18 | 20 Apr 2024 | 17:00 | Adelaide Adrenaline | 1–4 | Sydney Ice Dogs | Macquarie Ice Rink | [18] |
19 | 20 Apr 2024 | 17:15 | Brisbane Lightning | 5–2 | Canberra Brave | Phillip Ice Skating Centre | [19] |
20 | 21 Apr 2024 | 14:00 | Perth Thunder | 3–7 | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [20] |
21 | 21 Apr 2024 | 16:00 | Adelaide Adrenaline | 3–4 (OT) | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | [21] |
22 | 21 Apr 2024 | 16:45 | Brisbane Lightning | 5–2 | Canberra Brave | Phillip Ice Skating Centre | [22] |
23 | 26 Apr 2024 | 19:30 | Melbourne Mustangs | 2–5 | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [23] |
24 | 27 Apr 2024 | 16:30 | Adelaide Adrenaline | 0–1 | Perth Thunder | Perth Ice Arena | [24] |
25 | 27 Apr 2024 | 16:45 | Central Coast Rhinos | 1–2 (OT) | Brisbane Lightning | Iceworld Boondall | [25] |
26 | 27 Apr 2024 | 17:00 | Sydney Bears | 9–7 | Melbourne Mustangs | O’Brien Icehouse | [26] |
27 | 27 Apr 2024 | 17:15 | Newcastle Northstars | 6–2 | Canberra Brave | Phillip Ice Skating Centre | [27] |
28 | 28 Apr 2024 | 14:00 | Sydney Bears | 2–4 | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [28] |
29 | 28 Apr 2024 | 15:45 | Central Coast Rhinos | 5–2 | Brisbane Lightning | Iceworld Boondall | [29] |
30 | 28 Apr 2024 | 16:00 | Sydney Ice Dogs | 6–5 (SO) | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | [30] |
May | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Game # | Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location | Recap |
31 | 4 May 2024 | 15:30 | Sydney Ice Dogs | 7–4 | Central Coast Rhinos | Erina Ice Arena | [31] |
32 | 4 May 2024 | 17:00 | Melbourne Mustangs | 6–5 (OT) | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | [32] |
33 | 4 May 2024 | 17:00 | Adelaide Adrenaline | 2–3 | Sydney Bears | Macquarie Ice Rink | [33] |
34 | 4 May 2024 | 17:15 | Melbourne Ice | 4–3 (SO) | Canberra Brave | Phillip Ice Skating Centre | [34] |
35 | 5 May 2024 | 15:30 | Adelaide Adrenaline | 0–1 (SO) | Central Coast Rhinos | Erina Ice Arena | [35] |
36 | 5 May 2024 | 16:00 | Sydney Bears | 9–2 | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | [36] |
37 | 5 May 2024 | 16:45 | Melbourne Ice | 3–1 | Canberra Brave | Phillip Ice Skating Centre | [37] |
38 | 5 May 2024 | 17:00 | Melbourne Mustangs | 2–5 | Sydney Ice Dogs | Macquarie Ice Rink | [38] |
39 | 11 May 2024 | 16:30 | Melbourne Mustangs | 7–2 | Adelaide Adrenaline | Adelaide Ice Arena | [39] |
40 | 11 May 2024 | 16:30 | Central Coast Rhinos | 3–9 | Perth Thunder | Perth Ice Arena | [40] |
41 | 11 May 2024 | 16:45 | Sydney Bears | 4–1 | Brisbane Lightning | Iceworld Boondall | [41] |
42 | 11 May 2024 | 17:00 | Canberra Brave | 2–4 | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [42] |
43 | 11 May 2024 | 17:00 | Newcastle Northstars | 4–3 | Sydney Ice Dogs | Macquarie Ice Rink | [43] |
44 | 12 May 2024 | 14:00 | Canberra Brave | 3–4 | Melbourne Mustangs | O’Brien Icehouse | [44] |
45 | 12 May 2024 | 15:45 | Sydney Bears | 8–1 | Brisbane Lightning | Iceworld Boondall | [45] |
46 | 18 May 2024 | 16:30 | Canberra Brave | 7–6 (SO) | Adelaide Adrenaline | Adelaide Ice Arena | [46] |
47 | 18 May 2024 | 16:30 | Melbourne Ice | 4–0 | Perth Thunder | Perth Ice Arena | [47] |
48 | 18 May 2024 | 17:00 | Brisbane Lightning | 1–9 | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | [48] |
49 | 18 May 2024 | 17:00 | Central Coast Rhinos | 5–3 | Melbourne Mustangs | O’Brien Icehouse | [49] |
50 | 18 May 2024 | 17:00 | Sydney Bears | 4–3 | Sydney Ice Dogs | Macquarie Ice Rink | [50] |
51 | 19 May 2024 | 14:00 | Central Coast Rhinos | 1–14 | Melbourne Mustangs | O’Brien Icehouse | [51] |
52 | 19 May 2024 | 16:30 | Melbourne Ice | 5–6 | Perth Thunder | Perth Ice Arena | [52] |
53 | 19 May 2024 | 17:00 | Brisbane Lightning | 6–9 | Sydney Bears | Macquarie Ice Rink | [53] |
54 | 19 May 2024 | 17:00 | Canberra Brave | 4–1 | Adelaide Adrenaline | Adelaide Ice Arena | [54] |
55 | 25 May 2024 | 13:00 | Adelaide Adrenaline | X–X | Melbourne Mustangs | O’Brien Icehouse | [LINK] |
56 | 25 May 2024 | 15:30 | Sydney Bears | X–X | Central Coast Rhinos | Erina Ice Arena | [LINK] |
57 | 25 May 2024 | 17:00 | Canberra Brave | X–X | Newcastle Northstars | Hunter Ice Skating Stadium | [LINK] |
58 | 25 May 2024 | 17:00 | Brisbane Lightning | X–X | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [LINK] |
59 | 25 May 2024 | 17:00 | Perth Thunder | X–X | Sydney Ice Dogs | Macquarie Ice Rink | [LINK] |
60 | 26 May 2024 | 13:00 | Adelaide Adrenaline | X–X | Melbourne Ice | O’Brien Icehouse | [LINK] |
61 | 26 May 2024 | 15:30 | Perth Thunder | X–X | Central Coast Rhinos | Erina Ice Arena | [LINK] |
62 | 26 May 2024 | 16:45 | Sydney Ice Dogs | X–X | Canberra Brave | Phillip Ice Skating Centre | [LINK] |
63 | 26 May 2024 | 17:00 | Brisbane Lightning | X–X | Melbourne Mustangs | O’Brien Icehouse | [LINK] |
64 | 26 May 2024 | 17:00 | Newcastle Northstars | X–X | Sydney Bears | Macquarie Ice Rink | [LINK] |
Key:
Winner |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Melbourne Ice | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 14 | +34 | 23 | 2024 Goodall Cup Finals |
2 | Sydney Bears | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 27 | +22 | 18 | |
3 | Newcastle Northstars | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 33 | +17 | 16 | |
4 | Perth Thunder | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33 | 23 | +10 | 15 | |
5 | Brisbane Lightning | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 33 | −4 | 11 | |
6 | Sydney Ice Dogs | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 40 | −10 | 11 | |
7 | Central Coast Rhinos | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 53 | −36 | 6 | |
8 | Melbourne Mustangs | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 5 | |
9 | Adelaide Adrenaline | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 16 | −6 | 5 | |
10 | Canberra Brave | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 24 | 44 | −20 | 4 |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Melbourne Ice | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 14 | +34 | 23 | 2024 Goodall Cup Finals |
2 | Sydney Bears | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 27 | +22 | 18 | |
3 | Perth Thunder | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33 | 23 | +10 | 15 | |
4 | Sydney Ice Dogs | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 40 | −10 | 11 | |
5 | Melbourne Mustangs | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 5 |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Newcastle Northstars | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 33 | +17 | 16 | 2024 Goodall Cup Finals |
2 | Brisbane Lightning | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 33 | −4 | 11 | |
3 | Central Coast Rhinos | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 53 | −36 | 6 | |
4 | Adelaide Adrenaline | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 16 | −6 | 5 | |
5 | Canberra Brave | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 24 | 44 | −20 | 4 |
Each week the AIHL, through sponsorship, names a player of the week.[16]
The award is based on the following criteria:
Round | Awarded to | Pos | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Joey Hughes | F | Ref |
2 | Wehebe Darge | F | Ref |
3 | Noah Moncrieff | F | Ref |
4 | Dmitri Kuleshov | F | Ref |
5 | Dmitri Kuleshov | F | Ref |
6 | Jamie Bourke | F | Ref |
7 | Casey Kubara | F | Ref |
For season 2024, the AIHL adopted another new Finals format not previously used by the league. Six teams will qualify, three from each conference, to play five games in three days. AIHL Finals uses single-game elimination with winning teams advancing to the next round and losing teams eliminated. Melbourne's O'Brien Icehouse will host Finals once again for the 11th time. Finals winners are crowned AIHL Champions and claim the historic Goodall Cup. Man of the match in the grand final is named AIHL Finals MVP.[17]