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 thinking about a miracle, young star hits 50, an important win for a finals team and assistant coach signs for AWIHL team.
All In the Blue Paint articles can be found at andrewkmacdougall.com.au
Could we really see it?
Do you believe in miracles? The Adelaide Adrenaline do.
Heading into week 18 the task was simple, win. 120 minutes later and the Adrenaline season is still alive.
Captain Josh Adkins led the charge with a Saturday hattrick and five-point (three goals, two assists) performance as the Adrenaline won 5-2.
Sunday it was a tight affair, Roman Nekludovs stood up with a three-point (two goals, one assist) game as Adelaide swept both games against the Perth Thunder.
Adrenaline now sit five points behind the Mustangs and Lightning in seventh and need to win both of their final two games to make it.
Can they do the unthinkable?
The horns are up one last time
We talked about it during week 17 of In the Blue Paint, could the Central Coast Rhinos finish strong?
Sunday against the Brisbane Lightning it took until a shootout, but the Rhinos got the job done.
Six different goal scorers in regulation and it was Danick Bouchard who scored twice in the shootout for the win.
Young star Dmitri Kuleshov continues to impress and picked up career goal 50 in the AIHL.
Rhinos have one more remaining game to end the season and it’s against the defending champion Canberra Brave.
Finishing off the season with back-to-back wins would be the perfect recipe for a Rhinos team that has struggled this campaign.
We could see another miracle on display at Erina Ice Arena.
Horses come up clutch
With potentially their season on the line it was the Melbourne Mustangs coming up clutch against the Brave.
Never trailing throughout the three periods and scoring two goals on the powerplay, Mustangs got a massive win for top six security.
Brody Lindal grabbed goal number 18 for the season and is the Mustangs most lethal sniper.
Dean Klomp hit an AIHL career high 32 points with a three-point game, including a first period marker.
However, it was club legend and veteran Pat O’Kane with a massive second period goal, grabbing his first of the season at a crucial time.
Mustangs now create a five-point gap on the Adrenaline in fifth place and put the pressure back on Adelaide to win out.
Are the Mustangs safe?
Kiwi star rising
If you listen to Sean O’Connor from Oz Hockey Media, you will know all about Jacob Carey.
The elevation of Carey’s game in 2025 has been enormous for the Brave and defending their AIHL crown.
Carey is eight points off doubling his rookie season total of 23, currently the forward is sitting on 38.
Two goals against the Mustangs on Saturday and Carey is inching closer to the 20-goal mark, sitting on 18 from 25 games played.
Furthermore, Carey is the Braves most prolific goal scorer sitting top of the pile and three clear of Dominic Canic (15).
The 19-year-old New Zealand international is lighting up the AIHL and has found a home in the nation’s capital.
Dub nabs coach from Stars bench
Big news for Newcastle Northstars assistant coach Amelia Matheson on Tuesday afternoon.
Matheson was announced as assistant coach of Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League (AWIHL) team Sydney Sirens.
A former captain of the Sirens, Matheson joins Annelie Kvisle who was announced as head coach.
Both Matheson and Kvisle are favourite daughters of the Sirens and will add plenty to the culture that has been built across the past few seasons.
As the AWIHL draws closer it was big news for both the league and Sirens with two former players and experienced coaches signing for 2025/26.
Matheson has spent the past five seasons as assistant coach of the Northstars and will add AIHL experience to the AWIHL bench.
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