2008 AIHL season
LeagueAustralian Ice Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Duration19 April 2008 – 31 August 2008
Regular season
H Newman Reid TrophySydney Bears
(2nd title)
Season MVPLliam Webster (Ice)
Top scorerMickey Gilchrist (67 points)
(North Stars)
Goodall Cup
ChampionsNewcastle North Stars
  Runners-upWestern Sydney Ice Dogs
Finals MVPMickey Gilchrist (North Stars)

The 2008 AIHL season was the ninth season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It ran from 19 April 2008 until 24 August 2008, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 30 and 31 August 2008. The Bears won the H Newman Reid Trophy (backdated) after finishing the regular season first in the league standings. The Newcastle North Stars won the Goodall Cup for the fourth time by defeating the Western Sydney Ice Dogs in the final.

League business

In 2008, Brisbane Blue Tongues became the Gold Coast Blue Tongues after the team relocated from Brisbane's Ice World in Boondall to Gold Coast's Iceland Bundall ice rink.[1]

April 2008, the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium was significantly upgraded for the 2008 IIHF World Championship Division II, featuring plexi-glass boards, along with new lighting, scoreboards and expanded seating. The upgrade saw the Newcastle venue selected by the AIHL for the 2008 Goodall Cup finals weekend.

On 17 June, financial difficulties forced the Adelaide Avalanche to withdraw from the remainder of the 2008 season, leading to the cancellation and forfeiting of its 21 and 22 June games in Canberra and Penrith against the Knights (double points match) and Bears. Following negotiations, the Thebarton Ice Arena was one week later given a license for a new Adelaide team, the Adelaide A's, to fulfil the Avalanche's remaining commitments for the season, and inheriting their 2008 season results.[2]

Regular season

The regular season began on 19 April 2008 and will run through to 24 August 2008 before the top four teams advanced to compete in the Goodall Cup playoff series.[3]

April

Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap
19 April17:00Gold Coast Blue Tongues1–3Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
19 April17:00Canberra Knights0–4Adelaide A'sIceArenA
19 April17:30Central Coast Rhinos4–6The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
20 April16:30Canberra Knights0–2Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
20 April17:00Western Sydney Ice Dogs3–5The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
20 April18:00Gold Coast Blue Tongues5–0 (Forfeit)[lower-alpha 1]Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
24 April19:30The Bears6–5Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena
26 April16:30Melbourne Ice3–0Adelaide A'sIceArenA
26 April17:30Gold Coast Blue Tongues3–4Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
27 April16:30Melbourne Ice6–5 (SO)Adelaide A'sIceArenA
27 April17:00Canberra Knights3–2Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
27 April18:00Gold Coast Blue Tongues2–10 (DP)Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena

Notes:

  1. ↑ The Central Coast Rhinos forfeited their first home match (originally a 5-1 victory) to the Gold Coast Blue Tongues by a margin of 5-0 after icing an IIHF and IHA uncleared import. Goaltender Markus Claesson was not cleared to play in the AIHL until 3 May.

May

Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap
3 May17:00Newcastle North Stars2–3 (SO)Adelaide A'sIceArenA
3 May17:30The Bears5–3Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
3 May18:00Western Sydney Ice Dogs6–4Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
4 May16:30Newcastle North Stars2–7Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
4 May18:00Canberra Knights2–6Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena
10 May17:00The Bears4–3Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
10 May17:30Melbourne Ice6–1 (DP)Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
10 May18:00Central Coast Rhinos1–2Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena
11 May17:00Melbourne Ice1–3 (DP)The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
11 May18:00Newcastle North Stars1–3Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
17 May17:00Central Coast Rhinos4–3 (SO)Adelaide A'sIceArenA
17 May17:30Newcastle North Stars3–2 (SO)Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
17 May18:00The Bears4–3Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
18 May15:30The Bears4–3Adelaide A'sIceArenA
18 May16:30Central Coast Rhinos4–6Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
18 May17:00Western Sydney Ice Dogs3–2 (SO)Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
24 May16:30Canberra Knights2–3 (SO)Adelaide A'sIceArenA
24 May17:00Western Sydney Ice Dogs5–4 (SO)Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
25 May16:30Canberra Knights3–2 (SO)Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
25 May18:00Newcastle North Stars3–1Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena
31 May16:30Western Sydney Ice Dogs5–3Adelaide A'sIceArenA
31 May17:30Newcastle North Stars7–1Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
31 May17:30Central Coast Rhinos4–5The BearsPenrith Ice Palace

June

Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap
1 June16:15Western Sydney Ice Dogs2–4Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
1 June17:00Canberra Knights4–5The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
7 June17:30The Bears5–6Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
7 June17:45Gold Coast Blue Tongues3–10Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
7 June18:00Adelaide A's2–5 (DP)Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
8 June17:00Adelaide A's2–1 (DP)Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena
8 June17:30Gold Coast Blue Tongues5–4Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
14 June15:30The Bears1–9Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
14 June17:00Melbourne Ice3–8 (DP)Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
14 June17:30Central Coast Rhinos4–2Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
15 June15:40The Bears4–5Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
15 June17:00Melbourne Ice4–5Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena
15 June18:00Canberra Knights5–2Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
21 June15:30Newcastle North Stars5–0Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
21 June17:30Western Sydney Ice Dogs1–6The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
21 June17:30Adelaide A's0–5 (Forfeit)[lower-alpha 1]Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
22 June15:30Newcastle North Stars5–4 (SO)Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
22 June17:00Adelaide A's0–5 (Forfeit)[lower-alpha 2]The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
22 June18:00Canberra Knights0–2Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
28 June15:30Central Coast Rhinos2–0Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
28 June17:30Western Sydney Ice Dogs5–4Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
28 June17:45Adelaide A's4–8Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
29 June15:30Central Coast Rhinos4–9Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
29 June16:30Adelaide A's0–4Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
29 June18:00Newcastle North Stars3–8Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena

Notes:

  1. ↑ The Adelaide Avalanche forfeited their double point match to the Canberra Knights by a margin of 5-0 following the collapse of the franchise. The Adelaide A's would be established during the next week and the results, including the forfeit, was transferred to the new A's franchise.
  2. ↑ The Adelaide Avalanche forfeited their match to the AIHL Bears by a margin of 5-0 following the collapse of the franchise. The Adelaide A's would be established during the next week and the results, including the forfeit, was transferred to the new A's franchise.

July

Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap
5 July16:45Gold Coast Blue Tongues5–6 (SO) (DP)Adelaide A'sIceArenA
5 July17:45Newcastle North Stars2–5Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
5 July18:00The Bears2–1Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
6 July16:30Gold Coast Blue Tongues3–6 (DP)Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
6 July16:30Newcastle North Stars9–10 (SO)Adelaide A'sIceArenA
6 July18:00Canberra Knights2–3Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena
12 July15:30Western Sydney Ice Dogs7–4Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
12 July18:00Newcastle North Stars6–3Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
13 July15:30Western Sydney Ice Dogs2–5Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
13 July16:30The Bears7–8Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
19 July15:30Canberra Knights2–5Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
19 July17:30Newcastle North Stars4–6The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
19 July18:00Melbourne Ice3–2 (DP)Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
20 July15:30Canberra Knights7–3Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
20 July15:30The Bears5–3Adelaide A'sIceArenA
20 July17:00Central Coast Rhinos0–8Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
20 July17:00Melbourne Ice2–8Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena

August

Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap
2 August16:30Western Sydney Ice Dogs2–3 (SO)Adelaide A'sIceArenA
2 August17:30Central Coast Rhinos2–4Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
2 August17:30Newcastle North Stars10–2The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
3 August16:30Western Sydney Ice Dogs3–1Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
3 August17:00Central Coast Rhinos3–13Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
9 August15:30Melbourne Ice4–6Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
9 August17:00Adelaide A's3–5 (DP)Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
9 August17:30Canberra Knights5–2The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
9 August18:00Western Sydney Ice Dogs3–2 (SO)Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
10 August15:30Melbourne Ice9–1Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
10 August17:30Adelaide A's3–4The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
16 August16:30Central Coast Rhinos0–7Adelaide A'sIceArenA
16 August17:30Gold Coast Blue Tongues6–9Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
16 August18:00The Bears7–8 (SO)Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena
17 August16:30Central Coast Rhinos1–8Melbourne IceOlympic Ice Skating Centre
17 August17:00Gold Coast Blue Tongues4–8 (DP)The BearsPenrith Ice Palace
17 August17:00Canberra Knights5–7Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
23 August15:30Adelaide A's3–2Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
23 August17:30Western Sydney Ice Dogs7–4Canberra KnightsPhillip Ice Skating Centre
23 August18:00The Bears9–3Central Coast RhinosErina Ice Arena
24 August15:30Adelaide A's7–0Gold Coast Blue TonguesGold Coast Iceland
24 August19:00The Bears3–10Newcastle North StarsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
24 August18:00Central Coast Rhinos2–4Western Sydney Ice DogsSydney Ice Arena

Standings

Team GP W SOW SOL L GF GA GDF PTS
The Bears2820017134118+1661
Western Sydney Ice Dogs281541812691+3554
Melbourne Ice281711912491+3354
Newcastle North Stars281524715097+5353
Canberra Knights2810121591107-1634
Adelaide A's286621490107-1732
Gold Coast Blue Tongues2880317104154-5027
Central Coast Rhinos286112073129-5621
Qualified for the Goodall Cup playoffs H Newman Reid Trophy winners

Source

Statistics

Scoring leaders

List shows the ten top skaters sorted by points, then goals. Current as of 31 August 2008[4]

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM POS
Mickey GilchristNewcastle North Stars153037678F
B.J. PelkeyNewcastle North Stars2135306514F
Vladan StranskyThe Bears2522426434F
Ryan TremblayWestern Sydney Ice Dogs2323285140F
Vladimir RubesThe Bears2516355112F
Colin NicholsonNewcastle North Stars141730470C
Lliam WebsterMelbourne Ice2024224661F
Marko RaitaCanberra Knights2517254222F
Vit StranskyThe Bears1522194112F
Kyle TeagueWestern Sydney Ice Dogs2014253942F

Leading goaltenders

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage with a minimum 40% of the team's ice time. Current as of 31 August 2008[5]

Player Team MIP SOG GA GAA SVS% SO
Matthew EzzyNewcastle North Stars879525533.010.8992
Markus ClaessonCentral Coast Rhinos803554684.230.8772
Christopher ElfAdelaide A's630352483.810.8641
James HerbertWestern Sydney Ice Dogs663347483.620.8620
Stuart DenmanMelbourne Ice942444663.500.8513

Goodall Cup playoffs

The 2008 playoffs was scheduled for 30 August with the Goodall Cup final held on 31 August 2008.[3] Following the end of the regular season the top four teams advanced to the playoff series which was held at the redeveloped Hunter Ice Skating Stadium in Warners Bay, Newcastle, New South Wales. The series was a single game elimination with the two winning semi-finalists advancing to the Goodall Cup final. The Goodall Cup was won by the Newcastle North Stars (4th title) who defeated the Western Sydney Ice Dogs 4-1. The North Star's Canadian import forward, Mickey Gilchrist, was named the finals most valuable player (MVP).[6]

All times are UTC+10:00

Semi-finals

30 August 2008
16:30		Newcastle North Stars7–5
(2–1, 3–1, 2–3)		The BearsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
Attendance: 700
Game reference
Matthew EzzyGoaliesJohn DaugulisReferee:
Jeff Scott
Linesmen:
Tim Bell
Darren Hardy-Hawken
Buckley (PP) (Carberry, Minson)1 – 0
Nicholson (PP) (Pelkey, Gilchrist)2 – 0
2 – 1Wand (PP) (Gribben, Stransky)
Nicholson (Starke, Gilchrist)3 – 1
Pelkey (Nicholson, Gilchrist)4 – 1
4 – 2Nelson-Bond (Wand, Gribben)
Sheffield (Carberry)5 – 2
Nicholson (Gilchrist, Pelkey)6 – 2
6 – 3Stransky (Rubes)
6 – 4Gribben (Stransky)
Carberry (Minson)7 – 4
7 – 5Shumak (SH) (Gribben)
22 minPenalties16 min
41Shots23
30 August 2008
19:30		Melbourne Ice1–2 (OT)
(1–1, 0–0, 0–0, 0–1)		Western Sydney Ice DogsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
Attendance: 500
Game reference
Stuart DenmanGoaliesJames HerbertReferee:
Rob Duchemin
Linesmen:
Chris Mason
Steve Clyde-Smith
Powell (PP) (Ferguson, Tremblay)1 – 0
1 – 1Angyal (PP) (White, T.Stephenson)
1 – 2Sheddon (unassisted)
16 minPenalties24 min
23Shots27

Final

31 August 2008
16:00		Newcastle North Stars4–1
(1–0, 1–1, 2–0)		Western Sydney Ice DogsHunter Ice Skating Stadium
Attendance: 900
Game reference
Matthew EzzyGoaliesJames HerbertReferee:
Jeff Scott
Linesmen:
Chris Mason
Steve Clyde-Smith
Pelkey (PP) (Nicholson, Starke)1 – 0
1 – 1Strang (unassisted)
Gilchrist (SH) (Nicholson)2 – 1
Gilchrist (SH) (Nicholson, Buckley)3 – 1
Gilchrist (unassisted)4 – 1
26 minPenalties26 min
34Shots31

References

  1. ↑ "Gold Coast Blue Tongues: Team History and Standings". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  2. ↑ "History of the Australian Ice Hockey League". theaihl.com. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 "2008 AIHL Schedule". theaihl.com. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "2008 AIHL season: League leading players". theaihl.com. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "2008 AIHL season: League leading goalies". theaihl.com. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  6. ↑ Lambert, Peter (1 September 2018). "North Stars win Fourth Goodall Cup vs Ice Dogs, 4-1". theaihl.com. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
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