The 2011 AIHL season is the 12th season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It ran from 14 April 2011 until 28 August 2011, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 3 and 4 September. The Melbourne Ice won the H Newman Ried trophy after finishing first in the regular season standings with 65 points. The Ice also won the Goodall Cup final series after defeating the Newcastle North Stars in the final.
Teams In 2011 the AIHL had 8 teams competing in the league.
2011 AIHL teamsTeam City Arena Head Coach Captain Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide IceArenA Mike Gainer Greg Oddy Canberra Knights Canberra Phillip Ice Skating Centre David Rogina Mark Rummukainen Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceworld Boondall Peter Nixon Ross Howell Melbourne Ice Melbourne Medibank Icehouse Paul Watson Vinnie Hughes Mustangs IHC Melbourne Medibank Icehouse Steve Laforet Shane Hardy Newcastle North Stars Newcastle Hunter Ice Skating Stadium Don Champagne Ray Sheffield Sydney Bears Penrith Penrith Ice Palace Vladimir Rubes Michael Schlamp Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Liverpool Catholic Club Ice Rink Ron Kuprowsky Anthony Wilson
League business During the off-season the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) announced two new teams would be joining the league. The Mustangs IHC were announced to become the eighth team in the AIHL starting in the 2011 season. The Mustangs are based at Docklands, Victoria, the home of the Melbourne Ice. The ninth team, Perth Thunder, were accepted into the league as a provisional member. The Thunder will play exhibition games against other AIHL teams during the 2011 season in order to gain the vote to be accepted for the 2012 season. At the Annual General Meeting it was proposed to increase the length of the games periods from 15 minutes to 20 minutes to be inline with International Ice Hockey Federation rules however the proposal was unsuccessful due to reasons such as costs to the teams and the ability to fill the four lines with AIHL-level players.
On 10 July the game between the Gold Coast Blue Tongues and the Sydney Ice Dogs was cancelled due to an unsafe surface at the Blue Tongues home venue, Bundall Iceland. The AIHL deemed that the Blue Tongues have forfeited the game against the Ice Dogs 5–0, with the Ice Dogs being awarded the full three points.
From 20 to 21 August the Australia men's national ice hockey team will field a team at the 2011 New Zealand Winter Games so only two games will be held for that weekend.
Player transfers Date Player New team Previous team Adelaide Adrenaline Toledo Walleye Adelaide Adrenaline Braehead Clan Sydney Bears Hull Stingrays Adelaide Adrenaline Canberra Knights Sydney Bears Camrose Kodiaks Melbourne Ice Quad City Mallards Adelaide Adrenaline HC Milevsko Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Blue Tongues Newcastle North Stars Dundee Stars Sydney Ice Dogs Peter North Stars Melbourne Ice Quad City Mallards Sydney Bears HYS The Hague Newcastle North Stars Rødovre Mighty Bulls Newcastle North Stars Nijmegen Devils Gold Coast Blue Tongues Odessa Jackalopes Sydney Bears Concordia Stingers Sydney Ice Dogs Wasquehal Lions Sydney Ice Dogs Marian University Sydney Bears Bristol Pitbulls Canberra Knights Bloomington PrairieThunder Canberra Knights Indiana Blizzard Canberra Knights Laredo Bucks
Exhibition games Prior to the regular season, the Sydney Bears hosted an exhibition All-Star event and match at the Penrith Ice Palace. The All Star Classic had the Bears Veterans (over 35's) face off against the Rookies (Under 35s). The Rookies team won the All Star Classic 9–5.
During the season three teams competed against the AIHL's provisional member, Perth Thunder, in order for the Thunder to gain entry into the league for the following season. In May the Thunder travelled to Adelaide to compete in two games against the Adelaide Adrenaline. They drew the first game 2–2 and won the second 3–0. In June the Melbourne Ice travelled to Perth to compete in two games against the Thunder at the Cockburn Ice Arena. The Ice won the first game 4–3 and lost the second game 3–6 after letting in six goals to none in the final period. In September the Newcastle North Stars traveled to Perth to play the Thunder in a two-game series. The Thunder won both the first and second game 4–2.
Regular season The Melbourne Ice won the H Newman Reid Trophy after finishing first in the regular season standings with 65 points. Last years winners, the Newcastle North Stars finished second with 59 points. Jason Baclig of the Melbourne Ice was named the 2011 AIHL MVP edging out the Gold Coast Blue Tongues' Matt Amado and Sydney Ice Dogs' Matt Monaghan.
April Game Date Time Away Score Home Location Attendance Recap 1 14 April 20:00 Melbourne Ice 8–4 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 2 16 April 17:00 Adelaide Adrenaline 3–7 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 800 3 16 April 19:30 Mustangs IHC 6–2 Sydney Bears Penrith 4 17 April 17:00 Adelaide Adrenaline 3 – 2 (SO) Sydney Bears Penrith 5 17 April 17:00 Mustangs IHC 6–7 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 700 6 23 April 17:30 Newcastle North Stars 7–3 Canberra Knights Canberra 7 23 April 17:45 Sydney Ice Dogs 2–6 Melbourne Ice Melbourne 8 24 April 16:15 Sydney Ice Dogs 6–3 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 9 28 April 20:00 Sydney Bears 2–4 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 600 10 30 April 16:00 Newcastle North Stars 6–2 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 11 30 April 17:30 Melbourne Ice 6–5 Canberra Knights Canberra 12 30 April 17:45 Adelaide Adrenaline 3–5 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 250
May Game Date Time Away Score Home Location Attendance Recap 13 1 May 16:00 Newcastle North Stars 7–6 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 150 14 1 May 16:15 Adelaide Adrenaline 2–5 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 15 1 May 17:00 Melbourne Ice 3–2 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 16 7 May 16:30 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 4 – 5 (SO) Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 17 7 May 17:00 Newcastle North Stars 4–6 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 18 7 May 17:30 Sydney Bears 3–5 Canberra Knights Canberra 19 7 May 17:45 Mustangs IHC 5 – 4 (SO) Melbourne Ice Melbourne 20 8 May 16:30 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 3–5 Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 21 8 May 17:00 Canberra Knights 1–9 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 22 8 May 17:00 Newcastle North Stars 6–2 Sydney Bears Penrith 23 14 May 16:00 Canberra Knights 3–6 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 24 14 May 17:00 Adelaide Adrenaline 3–4 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 850 25 14 May 17:45 Sydney Bears 3 – 4 (SO) Melbourne Ice Melbourne 26 15 May 16:00 Canberra Knights 1–8 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 27 15 May 16:15 Sydney Bears 5–3 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 28 15 May 17:00 Adelaide Adrenaline 2–4 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 29 21 May 17:00 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 3–8 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 30 21 May 17:30 Sydney Bears 5–10 Canberra Knights Canberra 31 21 May 17:45 Newcastle North Stars 4 – 5 (SO) Melbourne Ice Melbourne 32 22 May 16:15 Newcastle North Stars 2–5 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 33 22 May 17:00 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 6–3 Sydney Bears Penrith 34 28 May 16:30 Sydney Ice Dogs 0–2 Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 35 28 May 17:00 Melbourne Ice 4–5 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 36 28 May 17:45 Canberra Knights 5–4 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 37 29 May 16:15 Sydney Ice Dogs 3–9 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 38 29 May 16:30 Canberra Knights 2–7 Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 39 29 May 17:00 Melbourne Ice 8–1 Sydney Bears Penrith
June Game Date Time Away Score Home Location Attendance Recap 40 2 June 20:00 Mustangs IHC 1–5 Melbourne Ice Melbourne 41 4 June 16:00 Mustangs IHC 5–8 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 42 4 June 17:00 Sydney Bears 5 – 4 (SO) Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 800 43 4 June 17:30 Sydney Ice Dogs 8–4 Canberra Knights Canberra 44 4 June 17:45 Adelaide Adrenaline 3 – 2 (SO) Melbourne Ice Melbourne 45 5 June 16:00 Mustangs IHC 4–6 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 46 5 June 16:15 Adelaide Adrenaline 2–4 Melbourne Ice Melbourne 47 5 June 17:00 Canberra Knights 6–8 Sydney Bears Penrith 48 11 June 17:30 Mustangs IHC 5–2 Canberra Knights Canberra 49 12 June 17:00 Canberra Knights 3–9 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 50 12 June 17:00 Mustangs IHC 1–8 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 51 18 June 16:00 Adelaide Adrenaline 5–0 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 52 18 June 17:00 Mustangs IHC 4–9 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 900 53 18 June 17:30 Melbourne Ice 7–4 Canberra Knights Canberra 54 19 June 16:00 Adelaide Adrenaline 4–3 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 55 19 June 17:00 Melbourne Ice 7–3 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 56 19 June 17:00 Mustangs IHC 3 – 4 (SO) Sydney Bears Penrith 57 25 June 16:30 Sydney Bears 3–6 Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 58 25 June 17:00 Newcastle North Stars 7–4 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 59 25 June 17:30 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 10–3 Canberra Knights Canberra 60 25 June 17:45 Melbourne Ice 7–3 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 61 26 June 16:45 Sydney Bears 2–3 Melbourne Ice Melbourne 62 26 June 17:30 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 5–7 Canberra Knights Canberra
July Game Date Time Away Score Home Location Attendance Recap 63 2 July 16:30 Melbourne Ice 5 – 6 (SO) Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 64 2 July 17:00 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 0–5 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 65 2 July 17:30 Newcastle North Stars 4–14 Canberra Knights Canberra 66 3 July 16:30 Melbourne Ice 2 – 3 (SO) Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 67 3 July 17:00 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 7–5 Sydney Bears Penrith 68 9 July 16:00 Sydney Ice Dogs 1–7 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 69 9 July 16:30 Mustangs IHC 3–5 Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 70 9 July 17:00 Newcastle North Stars 4–2 Sydney Bears Penrith 71 9 July 17:45 Canberra Knights 2–8 Melbourne Ice Melbourne 72 10 July 16:00 Sydney Ice Dogs 5 – 0 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast — — 73 10 July 16:45 Canberra Knights 5–8 Melbourne Ice Melbourne 74 10 July 16:30 Mustangs IHC 4 – 3 (SO) Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 75 16 July 17:00 Melbourne Ice 4–3 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 76 16 July 17:00 Sydney Ice Dogs 6–4 Sydney Bears Penrith 77 16 July 17:30 Adelaide Adrenaline 4–6 Canberra Knights Canberra 78 17 July 17:00 Adelaide Adrenaline 1–3 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 79 17 July 17:00 Melbourne Ice 8–4 Sydney Bears Penrith 80 23 July 16:00 Sydney Bears 4 – 5 (SO) Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 81 23 July 16:30 Newcastle North Stars 5–3 Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide 82 23 July 17:30 Mustangs IHC 2–8 Canberra Knights Canberra 83 24 July 16:00 Sydney Bears 2–5 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast 84 24 July 16:15 Newcastle North Stars 4–6 Melbourne Ice Melbourne 85 24 July 17:00 Mustangs IHC 1–3 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 86 30 July 17:00 Canberra Knights 0–4 Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 87 30 July 17:00 Sydney Bears 2–5 Sydney Ice Dogs Liverpool 88 30 July 17:45 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 2 – 3 (SO) Melbourne Ice Melbourne 89 31 July 16:15 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 6–4 Mustangs IHC Melbourne 90 31 July 17:00 Sydney Ice Dogs 4 – 3 (SO) Newcastle North Stars Newcastle 91 31 July 17:00 Canberra Knights 3–2 Sydney Bears Penrith I Game was forfeited due to poor ice conditions.
August