Thunder to roll into Melbourne for finals

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For the second time in their four-year history, the Perth Thunder will be rolling into the Medibank Icehouse on the last weekend in August to battle it out for their chance at Western Australia’s first Goodall Cup.
 
In 2015, the Thunder well and truly bounced back from their seventh place finish in 2014, securing third position in the AIHL standings this season with their record standing at 14 wins, nine losses, one shootout win and one shootout loss. 
 
The Thunder will head to Melbourne with a strong team and one which has plenty of depth and talent, according to head coach Dave Kenway. The Perth outfit have proven this season that they can not only provide pressure and pace with their imports, but also their local talent which has included several strong rookies.
 
Import goalie Mark Guggenberger has also proven to be a key addition to the Thunder line up, gaining nine regulation wins from his 17 starts. Guggenberger left the ice in the first period of the last weekend series of the season against the Adelaide Adrenaline but Kenway is optimistic.
 
“Guggenberger is recovering well and getting the medical treatment he needs to be ready for next week,” he said.
 
Another import who has made waves as part of the Thunder line up this season is the squad’s leading point scorer Toni Kluuskeri. Finishing the season with 16 goals, 21 assists and 37 points overall, Kluuskeri is now keen to help Perth to its first Goodall Cup.
 
Earlier this season, Kluuskeri said “there are no individual goals, it’s all about the team; I want to win games and get the Cup here to Perth.” 
 
The Thunder will line up against a formidable Melbourne Ice outfit in this Saturday’s second semi-final, a team which the Thunder have not been able to best this season. The two teams have gone head to head on four occasions this season with the Ice coming up trumps with two regulation wins and two shootout wins.
 
Thunder coach Dave Kenway stated his team has to be focused heading into Saturday’s match up.
 
“The Ice are fast, put plenty of pressure on you and have some very talented players,” Kenway said. “I know that it is going to be a hard game. We know how we have to play and we want to get redemption for losing to them in the regular season. This game is our chance to do just that.”
 
Thunder alternate captain Andrew Cox echoed Kenway’s statements. “If we put pressure on their defence, they can cough up the puck,” he said. “With a full line up, we are capable of beating them.” 
 
From an Ice perspective, coach Brent Laver was keen to get a good look at the Thunder in action during their last series in Perth.
 
“It was all about getting a good look at them,” he said. “There is no harm in getting a good win against a team that you’re going to line up against (in the finals).”
 
With only their second appearance in the AIHL Finals, the team is preparing for unfamiliar yet exciting territory for the Perth Thunder.
 
“It will be a large crowd and there is plenty of pressure,” Kenway said. “We just have to approach it like any other game and play our style and systems.” 
 
The two teams approach the 2015 AIHL Finals from opposite ends of the experience spectrum. The Perth Thunder are looking to go deep into the finals weekend for the first time in 2015 and toppling the Ice on Saturday will see them enter their first ever Goodall Cup Final. The Ice, on the other hand, are seasoned veterans when it comes to finals action with three of the last five Goodall Cups to their name and 10 straight finals appearances. 
 
This is set to be an exciting finals series and the Western Australian AIHL representatives are hoping they have what it takes to bring the Goodall Cup back to Western Australia for the first time.

The Perth Thunder take on the Melbourne Ice in the second semi-final on Saturday night at 6.30 at the Medibank Icehouse.