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 dream finally over, veteran with a big milestone, losing streak snapped and an import going lights out.
All In the Blue Paint articles can be found at andrewkmacdougall.com.au
Disney dream comes to an end
The cameras have been packed away, the script torn up. The fairytale is over.
Adelaide Adrenaline needed to win out for a chance of sneaking into the top six.
Facing the Melbourne Ice in back-to-back games was going to be a tough task, unfortunately they finished with no points.
It was a dream run for an AIHL Finals spot, Adelaide doing everything they could, while hoping other results went their way.
However, despite missing out on the finals, the blueprint for 2026 is there.
Adrenaline finished strong, confidence was high, and it looked like they were enjoying hockey again.
I can’t wait to see what Adelaide brings to the 2026 AIHL season.
500 of the best for Darge
It was a weekend of milestones in the AIHL and one stuck out to me, Newcastle Northstar Wehebe Darge.
Darge – who has played for the Adrenaline and Canberra Brave, picked up point 500.
A career that has spanned 14-years in the AIHL, Darge has performed at every club he has suited up for.
Furthermore, a Saturday hattrick against the Lightning highlighted the weekend.
Darge finished with 38 points (18 goals, 20 assists) for the regular season, with 10 goals in final 10 games.
Three-time Goodall Cup champion isn’t slowing down and will be vital for the Northstars in finals this weekend.
Lightning strikes and snaps streak
Brisbane Lightning snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 8-4 win over the Northstars on Sunday.
The win lifted the Lightning into fifth place on the standings and will face Newcastle again in the finals.
However, it was an important win for the Lightning who are looking to get back on track at the right time.
Sitting near the top of the standings for large parts of the season, Lightning form faded late and now find themselves in a knockout preliminary final.
Tanner Hopps was massive with five goals in the win, finishing on 80 points, fifth highest in AIHL history.
How deep can the Lightning go?
Onya, Trev
Trevor Lord has been a revelation since signing with the Melbourne Mustangs, finishing his short stint with seven points from three games.
It included six goals, and a hattrick on the final weekend against the Perth Thunder.
Lord, who isn’t eligible for finals, is a goal scorer putting up numbers wherever he has played.
Five on five Lord adds scoring punch, while also strengthening the powerplay unit in the absence of Scott Timmins.
Despite not being able to play for the Mustangs during finals, it was a terrific late signing for the club.
As a result, I do wonder if there is a chance Lord returns in 2026?
With a taste of the AIHL already, and Lord seeming to fit into the roster seamlessly, it would be a solid addition for a full campaign.
And as was discussed amongst Mustangs fans at Perth Ice Arena, Trev, just sounds Aussie already.
An ace up the sleeve
Even the most one-eyed Melbourne Ice fan couldn’t have predicted the impact of David Booth.
Despite all the off-ice controversy on arrival, Booth has been outstanding on the ice.
Week 19 of the AIHL was more of the same as Booth finished with 14 points (nine goals, five assists) across two games.
After just 14 regular season games, Booth amassed 64 points, to finish fourth on the AIHL league leaders.
Furthermore, Booth completed the regular season with an impressive 4.6 points per game.
There is no doubt that for the Ice to go all the way and win the Goodall Cup, Booth is going to be their ace up the sleeve.
We haven’t seen Booth playoff hockey in Australia, but it might just go up a notch.
Which is a scary thought for the other five clubs in cup contention.
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