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).
This week we had a team lifting a trophy, superstar with a goal feast, a Northstar coming up clutch and a team getting back on track.
All In the Blue Paint articles can be found at andrewkmacdougall.com.au
Geno comes up clutch
It feels like I write about Evegnii Skachkov every week, but that’s because the Newcastle Northstars forward makes it easy.
Skachkov would take over the game in the final 15 minutes to lift the Northstars over the Central Coast Rhinos 6-3.
After falling behind 3-1, Newcastle battled back and Shachkov would score a third period hattrick.
The second hattrick Shachkov has scored in Newcastle colours and gave the travelling side an important road win.
Shachkov now has 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists) from 17 games played this season.
Horses back on track
It was a character win and a much needed one for the Melbourne Mustangs.
Mustangs have struggled in recent weeks, with only four wins from their last ten games.
However, a come from behind win over the Brisbane Lightning has them back on track.
Down 2-0 early in the first period the Mustangs got back into the game and then put the foot on the gas.
Scoring was spread and Brody Lindal grabbed goal 17 on the season, now leading the team for most goals.
As a result, Mustangs now move above the Lightning into fifth place and are still in the hunt for a top half of the six finish.
It’s trophy time
Melbourne Ice have put one trophy into the cabinet this season, taking out the H Newman Reid Trophy as minor premiers.
With an empathic 10-6 win over the Lightning the Ice now can’t be moved from top spot and wrap up the trophy win after 25 games.
Sitting on top of the AIHL standings with 61 points the Ice have been the best team all season.
Ice will not leave the state of Victoria again this AIHL season, three remaining home games and then finals.
They sit in prime position to really push for a 2025 Goodall Cup victory with finals once again being played at O’Brien Icehouse Arena.
A much needed week off
After all the early season form and looking like a team that has turned the corner, where to now for the Brisbane Lightning?
Lightning have lost six games in a row and find themselves at the foot of the top six.
Adelaide Adrenaline have two games in hand and are still sniffing around for a finals sport, so the pressure is on the Lightning.
Brisbane has a week off and then heads to Erina to play the Central Coast, not an easy back-to-back as the Rhinos look to finish strong.
Furthermore, they welcome the Northstars to home ice for the final AIHL weekend which will be a tough task.
Lightning looks safe for finals, unless Adrenaline can stay hot, but the worries must be starting to filter through the Queensland outfit.
It was a Yu-ge weekend
When Yu Hikosaka scores, he scores big and in bunches, Saturday against the Canberra Brave was a prime example.
Hikosaka put four past the Brave as the Thunder ran out 11-2 winners on home ice.
It was the fourth time this season Hikosaka had scored four or more goals in a game.
Hitting the 30-goal mark in the process, Hikosaka now has 31 goals on the season after the four-goal display.
Furthermore, Thunder will be hoping it’s the start of a hot streak for Hikosaka as we head into finals with Perth sitting in second place.
Hikosaka is the Thunders most prolific scorer, sitting 22 goals above next best Kieren Webster.
For Thunder to win the Goodall Cup they need their main man firing on all cylinders.
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