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HELLYER LADDER

Team	GP	W	L	PTS
Ice	4	4	0	12
Thunder	6	4	2	12
Bears	4	3	1	9
Mustangs	2	1	1	3
Ice Dogs	5	1	4	3

RURAK LADDER

Team	GP	W	L	OTW	OTL	PTS
Northstars	4	3	0	1	0	11
Lightning	6	3	3	0	0	9
Adrenaline	3	1	1	0	1	4
Brave	6	1	5	0	0	3
Rhinos	4	0	4	0	0	0

SCORING LEADERS

Jeremiah
Addison (PER)

Player	Points
Aiden Wagner (NNS)	18
Wehebe Darge (NNS)	15
francis Drolet (NNS)	15
Zane Jones (PER)	13

GOALIE LEADERS

N Novysedlak (BRE)

1.000

Goalie	SV%
Rhys Pelliccione (PER)	.950
Tatsunoshin Ishida (MIC)	.933
Leo Bertein (PER)	.905
Charles Smart (NNS)	.903

North Stars spoil Brave debut

Saturday, April 12, 2014 - Submitted by Ellie-Marie Watts

A fiery clash between the CBR Brave and Newcastle North Stars opened the 2014 AIHL season for both teams at Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre on Saturday night.

The North Stars walked away with the win, defeating the league’s newest team 2-0.

CBR Brave chairman Peter Chamberlain said he was impressed with his team despite the loss.

“It was really pleasing to see they [the Brave] were so competitive on the ice,” Chamberlain said. “It was a hard fought game."

“We gave away a cheap goal early but then held a pretty good team to a one goal lead. It was a good effort considering it was our first time ever playing as the CBR Brave and for the year, for the players. It was very impressive.”

North Stars coach Garry Dore was equally impressed with his team, saying they expected a hard game on Saturday, but overcame the physical play in a small rink to take away the three points.

“We always knew we were heading into a tough game with the momentum of the new CBR Brave and in a rink pretty opposite to ours, small and tight,” Dore said. “We practiced all week and spoke about the type of hockey we could expect in Canberra, practiced our systems. Everyone played a great game.”

North Stars defenceman Jayson Chalker scored Newcastle’s first goal of the game within two minutes of hitting the ice.

Three minutes later the game’s first scuffle broke out behind the North Stars net seeing Mat Lindsay sent off for 14 minutes, along with Canberra player Ryan Johnson.

Johnson would end up sitting out for 18 minutes before he was served a match penalty.

Following a goalless second period where only one penalty was handed out to each team, the third period began with a goal from North Star Tim Stanger, tipped from David Ferrari.

Leading 2-0, tension on the ice exploded in the third period with scuffles breaking out every few minutes.

The North Stars' youngest players, rookie Hayden Sheard and Hamish Powell, will have to sit out Sunday’s game against the Sydney Bears after taking a roughing penalty each with five minutes remaining in the game.

From Canberra, Harry Byers will sit out the CBR Brave’s next game.

Despite the pressure of the game, the North Stars held on for its first win of the season.

“JFK [John F Kennedy Jnr] and Cody Danberg both played a solid game,” Dore said. “Cody, off a plane just yesterday, and feeling the jet lag, played a really good game.”

“The young rookies, Hayden Sheard, Josh Hansen and Pat Nadin, of course linked with Hamish Powell, did a really good job. They carried out the roles expected of them.”

North Stars import goaltender, Harrison May, recorded his first AIHL shutout win of his first AIHL game, turning away 39 shots.

Canberra import goaltender Petri Pitkanen faced 40 shots to conceding only the two goals.

Chamberlain said the CBR Brave could walk away from its inaugural game having learned a lot.

“There was a lot of excitement and a lot of emotion from the boys,” he said. “I think they are going to walk away from this game with a lot of excitement and the knowledge that they’re going to be competitive in this league provided they play as a team and they play to our systems. It’s going to be a good year.”

The CBR Brave’s next game will be played in Canberra against the Sydney Ice Dogs on April 26, while the North Stars will face the Sydney Bears at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium later today.

* Photos by Ben Southall Photography

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