MELBOURNE, Australia – Australian Ice Hockey League Finals were held in Melbourne Obrien Group Arena. The first final was between the top of the ladder Melbourne Ice and fourth place Melbourne Mustangs, a local derby.
The only goal scored in the first period was by Jason Baclig of the Ice.
There were no multi scorers for the game, the Ice had 38 shots on net compared to 29 for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs were playing a defensive game and were lacking in the strength to create the shots on net. It was like there was not enough fire power to have the shots on goal. There were also times when the Mustangs lost sight of the puck.
Right before the end of the game there was a game misconduct and a match penalty due to a hit from behind to the head behind the goals.
Even though the game was a low scoring one the Ice doubled-up the Mustangs, 4-2.
Melbourne Ice had the measure of the Mustangs and they were making sure that there was enough in reserve to take on the winner of the next final.
Perth Thunder finished second and took on third place on the ladder Canberra Brave.
Brave played like they never had before, cutting off passes, had control of the puck were able to put 34 shots on net, where as Thunder were only able to put 22 shot on net.
There was one multi scorer for this game, Stephen Blunder from the Brave.
Thunder did struggle to get the puck the neutral zone.
Final score Brave 6 to Thunder 2
The Final was set up between the Melbourne Ice and Brave.
Melbourne Ice were able to take their game up a notch, the Brave were strong they were just not able to find an answer to the Ice’s all over game plan.
Chris Wong / Melbourne Ice was the 1st goal scorer and the mutli-scorer was from Melbourne Ice in Sebastian Ottosson.
Interesting that the two teams were similar in shots on net, Ice 28 to Brave 21
This playing group for the Melbourne Ice can say they were the best in the AIHL to win in the regular games had 22 wins out of 28 games (the most by any team in the AIHL) and on 71 points, then to win two more game and hold up the GoodAll Cup for 2017.
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