AUSTRALIA – Melbourne Ice move to match Newcastle North Stars with 4-1 win over Sydney Ice Dogs in the AIHL, whilst Canberra Knights fall to the Gold Coast Blue Tongues and Newcastle North Stars require a shoot out to overcome Sydney Bears. 1300 fans packed into the sold out Melbourne IceHouse for the Ice’s opening home game against the Sydney Ice Dogs, coming off road shootout losses to Sydney Bears and league topping Newcastle North Stars. Indiscipline cost the Ice Dogs the game, taking the lead through Andrew DeCristoforo, with Aussie international Lee Lambert in the box for tripping. However, the Dogs’ water bowl was soon looking a bit sour, taking a high sticking penalty allowing Brad Vigon to slot home a Jamie Bourke pass in a powerplay line that mirrors the Australian silver medal team at the Mexico World Championships. Things went from bad to worse for the Ice Dogs in period 2 with star import Derek Campbell taking a 10 minute misconduct call for illeagal eqiupment, the referee citing his chin strap. With Campbell sitting the Ice Dogs took a further 6 minutes of penalties allowing Scottish born Australian International Lliam Webster to strike with a slapshot from the slot, whilst Sean Jones scored a superb individual goal past an exposed Alan Becken in the Ice Dogs goal. Realising the game was slipping away from them the Ice Dogs tried to get physical in the dying moments of the second period with the Ice resisting their glove-lorn charms. That was until, with 7 minutes to play, Vinne Hughes dropped the gloves with Derek Campbell with the Canadian picking up a clear victory to the appreciation of both sets of supporters. Ice finished their home rout with Captain Webster firing a quick wrist shot from set up play from former Nimenjin Devils top scorer Jason Baclig and defenceman Peter Seckington. Up the coast in Queensland, Gold Coast Blue Tongues over came the Canberra Knights 6-5 at the Iceland Centre, with former Romford Raiders forward Dallas Cortanzo bagging a home brace as the Blue Tongues take their opening game of the season, including two on the powerplay with Tom Leki, Dan Pedersen, Jack Conner and Johnny Bale also on target for the Blue Tongues. Pedersen getting the winner in the last 4 minutes of the game. Down in Sydney league leaders Newcastle North Stars took on the Sydney Bears, securing a shootout win over the Bears to ensure they kept pace with the Melbourne Ice at the top of the AIHL standings. North Stars raced into an early lead with Peter Starke striking on the powerplay, whilst Dutch league top scorer Peter Cartwright doubled the lead after 10 minutes. Former Peterborough Phamton, Michal Lauko scored two first period goals to get the Bears right back into a tied game 2-2, the first a skating individual effort whilst poor defending from the North Stars allowed a 3 on 1 to notch Lauko his second of the period. Cartwright again showed why he is held in such acclaim in Holland with a second individual goal early second period, and two further goals from big UAA defenceman Brian Bales took the North Stars into a 5-2 lead midway through the second period. Bears once again faught back with Micheal Schlamp, Player-Coach Vladimir Rubes and Michal Lauko, completing his hatrick, scoring 3 goals in 4 minutes to send the teams in at the break tied at 5. The North Stars once again came out with full steam for the third period, and after spending 4 minutes camped in the Bears zone Matt Lindsay restored the lead, but once again the Bears came back to tie the game, defenceman Brett Nelson-Bond slotting home to tie it up at 6. So the scores remained to take the game into Overtime, and subsequently to Penalty Shots with Peter Cartwright once again proving the hero to ensure the North Stars remain competitive at the top of the table. Tonight Sydney Ice Dogs play their home opener against 2009 AIHL champions Adelaide Adrenaline and Gold Coast Blue Tongues play the second of their double header against Canberra Knights. Contact the author Phil.Andrews@Prohockeynews.com
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