Each week I will highlight things that have caught my attention, got me on the edge of my seat or shifted the needle in the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL).
Many would remember my Five Things or Five for Writing articles from recent years, well it’s back with a fresh name. In the Blue Paint.
This week we had a team showing championship pedigree, a finals regular finding their feet, a veteran with a big milestone and crowds jamming into arenas once again.
All In the Blue Paint articles can be found at andrewkmacdougall.com.au
Ice showing championship quality
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived at the Icehouse on Friday night, the first instalment of the Melbourne Derby was tipped to be a big one.
What we were treated to was a Melbourne Ice masterclass from start to finish. Strong, physical, and playing with an edge. The Ice were in the face of the Mustangs for the entire 60 minutes, sprinkling quality finishing on top for a 5-2 win.
Ice flexed their muscle in a game that is always highlighted on the calendar, in front of a sold-out crowd it was the blue side of Melbourne that reigned supreme.
Backing this result up the following night by dismantling the Canberra Brave 10-2.
Northstars get big time win
Newcastle Northstars have been trying to work their way into the 2025 AIHL season after seeing a new squad arrive.
With both Sydney teams not competing this season, Newcastle was able to recruit some high-end talent to round out their roster. But it has taken time for the team to gel.
A 27-7 first period against the Adelaide Adrenaline was the perfect recipe for big home win and getting their season going, their first regulation victory of the season.
Marked by career goal 200 for Wehebe Darge, there was no looking back as the Northstars ran out 6-1 winners.
Crowds, crowds, crowds
Every time I tune into AIHL.TV it seems as though the rinks around the AIHL are packed out and full. Friday night in Melbourne was another scene of derby chaos with all tickets exhausted.
It’s become a common theme when the Melbourne derbies are on, one of the hottest sporting tickets available in a sport’s mad city.
We have seen improvements to rinks around the country, Adelaide adding more availability for spectators to attend, and of course the AIS Arena that the Brave are yet to play in.
With all this being said, it looks to be the most attended AIHL season to date.
Darge gets 200
One of the big highlights from the weekend was Northstars forward Wehebe Darge picking up his 200th AIHL goal.
Across 11 AIHL seasons Darge spent at the Adrenaline and Brave, he became a three-time Goodall Cup champion and AIHL MVP.
In 2023 Darge moved to Newcastle joining the Northstars and instantly becoming an important cog in their forward system.
Scoring 10+ goals a season in 12 of his 14 career AIHL campaigns, Darge looks set to hit that mark again with five goals from eight games played.
Just too Cool-leshov
Anyone that knows me knows how much I rate and love Dmitri Kuleshov. The Central Coast Rhinos forward is an electric hockey player that knows how to find the back of the net.
Kuleshov came up big again for the Rhinos against the Adrenaline on home ice, finishing the game with four points (two goals, two assists) which included the overtime winner.
It was a career season in 2024 for Kuleshov, hitting the 20-goal mark from 30 games played it was a coming-of-age display.
In 2025 things aren’t slowing down, scoring at a goal a game pace Kuleshov is running red hot again and will be an important part of a Rhinos team that are eyeing a finals return.
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