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 defending champs flex their muscle, a big goalie return, points chaser with big numbers, and a team impressive despite being goalied.
All In the Blue Paint articles can be found at andrewkmacdougall.com.au
Kimmer makes awaited return
It’s amazing how much one player can change the look of a team, and the results that come their way.
The return of Anthony Kimlin was a massive shot in the arm for the Melbourne Mustangs, the veteran stopper looked elite in goal.
Kimlin would win both games against the Adelaide Adrenaline, a 4-0 shutout on Saturday and an 8-4 win on Sunday.
Stopping 79 of 83 shots across the weekend, Kimlin finished with a .917 save percentage.
Tom Papas is young and learning, Byran Mackenzie is a solid backup, Seb Woodlands has only played the two games.
Week 11 in the AIHL showed just how important Kimlin is to the Mustangs 2025 campaign.
Defending champs make statement
It was a massive weekend for the Canberra Brave who are sitting sixth and hanging onto that final playoff spot.
Back-to-back wins and the Brave have a little bit of breathing space, as the leapfrog the Northstars and slide into fifth place.
Alex Tetreault was outstanding in the 4-3 win over Newcastle, stopping 48 of 52 shots, finishing with a .941 save percentage and coming up clutch down the stretch.
Jake Ratcliffe returned with a bang grabbing four points (two goals, two assists), while new Finnish import Jesperi Viikila had a perfect debut with two goals.
The defending champions are starting to fill out their roster and hit form at the right time.
Case of the smoking glove
Can someone buy Anand Oberoi a new glove?
The Central Coast Rhinos goaltender has been working overtime during the 2025 AIHL season, facing a mountain of shots per game.
In fact, Oberoi on average faces 45 shots against each game, and has faced 770 in total after 17 games.
The next closest is Aleski Toivonen 538, then Tatsu Ishida 469, so it’s pretty clear who the most worked goaltender in the league is.
Oberoi is a fan favourite, not just on the Central Coast, but across the competition. He just needs help.
Scoring goals is a concern at the Rhinos, with only 66 this season, but helping their number one goalie should be top of the list.
I can still smell the smoke from Oberoi’s glove hand after another 104-shot weekend.
The jinx is in
After pumping them up with an article during the week, the Doogie jinx was in as the Newcastle Northstars dropped back-to-back games on home ice.
Newcastle was tested in a big way on Saturday as they welcomed the Melbourne Ice falling 6-3, then on Sunday it was a 4-3 loss to the Brave.
However, it isn’t panic stations for the Northstars who now slip to sixth position on the AIHL standings.
Newcastle outshot the Brave 51-24, while it was 46-50 in favour of the Ice on Saturday. So they were getting plenty of opportunities.
It was a case of being goalied for the Northstars, who I think have a strong squad and were impressive despite the losses.
Week 12 will be the biggest of their season to date, travelling south to face both Melbourne teams at O’Brien Icehouse.
Points keep on coming
We might have a new points leader soon if David Booth continues this scoring form after eight games played.
Booth who is averaging 4.8 points per game, collected 11 points (five goals, six assists) across the weekend as the Melbourne Ice continued to march on.
A squad loaded with offence, Booth has added some polish to the Ice at even strength, and on the top powerplay unit contributing six goals.
Futhermore, Ice have now opened an 18-point gap at the top of the standings to second placed Perth Thunder.
Ice will face the Mustangs Friday night in the final Melbourne Derby of the season to kickstart week 12.
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