2013 AIHL season


The 2013 AIHL season was the 14th season of the Australian Ice Hockey League. It ran from 20 April 2013 until 1 September 2013, with the Goodall Cup finals following on the 7 and 8 September. The Sydney Ice Dogs won both the H Newman Ried Trophy for finishing first in the regular season, and the Goodall Cup after defeating the Newcastle North Stars in the final.

League business

In October 2012 it was announced that the 2013 season would be played with eight teams as the Gold Coast Blue Tongues' licence was suspended due to the team being unable to secure a home venue for 2013. The Blue Tongues were forced out of their arena during the 2012 season when the AIHL deemed it to not be up to specifications for the league forcing the team to temporarily relocate to Brisbane for the remainder of the season. It was also announced that the suspension on the Sydney Ice Dogs had been lifted allowing the team to ice four imports again. The Ice Dogs were restricted to three for the 2012 season by the league due to breaches of the league's code of conduct. Following the Annual General Meeting it was announced that the third period of play has been increased from 15 minutes to 20 minutes, while the first two remain 15 minutes in length. The change was in response to fans calling for the league to align itself with international hockey which plays three 20 minute periods. The Melbourne Mustangs revealed their new logo and jerseys for the start of the season featuring a redesigned mustang horse, holding an ice hockey stick. The new jerseys include a white home jersey, a black away jersey and an orange third jersey which is being released as off-ice apparel only. The Sydney Ice Dogs also revealed their new jerseys with an aqua green away jersey and a white home jersey. The change in colours was made as part of a deal with corporate naming sponsor Reach Crane Trucks and will be in place for three years, the duration of their deal with Reach Crane Trucks. Their previous colours of maroon, yellow, blue, black and white will remain as the team's corporate colours.
On 17 February the AIHL announced that it had entered into a partnership with Fox Sports in which a game of the week will be aired on the network as part of a 60-minute program which also includes league and state federation news and AIHL highlights. The Canberra Knights held an exhibition game on 23 March 2013 with the team competing against a team of former Knights' players for the Soldier On charity. The Knights won the game 6–5.

Personnel changes

Following the AGM the AIHL announced that Tyler Lovering had been re-elected to the commission as Assistant Commissioner until 2014. Ben Kiely and Alexandra Lata had both received a one-year extension to their terms on the commission, with Lata being appointed Deputy Commissioner. The AIHL have also elected Robert Bannerman and Joshua Chye to the commission to serve as Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner respectively. In December 2012 the Melbourne Mustangs announced that they had appointed Brad Vigon as head coach, replacing Steve Laforet who had been fired at the end of the 2012 season. Following the end of the 2012 season the Melbourne Ice announced that both president Andy Lamrock and head coach Paul Watson had stepped down from their positions. In November 2012 the Ice announced that former Ice Hockey Victoria president Emma Poynton as successor to Lamrock as the club's president. In February 2013 the Ice appointed assistant coach Sandy Gardner to the head coach position.

Player transfers

Players signed
PlayerPrevious teamNew team
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
Gold Coast Blue TonguesSydney Bears
Cardiff Devils NLCanberra Knights
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
ECSL StingSydney Bears
Marian UniversityPerth Thunder
University of OttawaAdelaide Adrenaline
ECSL RaptorsSydney Bears
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
Adelaide BlackhawksAdelaide Adrenaline
Columbus CottonmouthsCanberra Knights
No teamAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
Sydney Maple LeafsSydney Ice Dogs
Melbourne MustangsMelbourne Ice
ECSL VipersNewcastle North Stars
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
ECSL VipersNewcastle North Stars
Tulsa OilersPerth Thunder
Norwich UniversityNewcastle North Stars
West Coast LightningPerth Thunder
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
Marian UniversityPerth Thunder
Adelaide FalconsAdelaide Adrenaline
Adelaide BlackhawksCanberra Knights
Adelaide Tigers B2Perth Thunder
Colorado EaglesPerth Thunder
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
Sheffield SteelersMelbourne Ice
No teamCanberra Knights
No teamCanberra Knights
Gold Coast Blue TonguesNewcastle North Stars
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
EV FüssenMelbourne Ice
Gold Coast Blue TonguesMelbourne Mustangs
No teamPerth Thunder
Braehead ClanAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
No teamPerth Thunder
Northern VikingsPerth Thunder
No teamCanberra Knights
Botany SwarmSydney Bears
Adelaide Falcons BAdelaide Adrenaline
ECSL VipersNewcastle North Stars
HC Keski-UusimaaCanberra Knights
SMScredit.lvSydney Bears
Canberra KnightsNewcastle North Stars
Gold Coast Blue TonguesSydney Ice Dogs
ECSL StingSydney Bears
HC Kobra PrahaSydney Bears
Orlando Solar BearsCanberra Knights
No teamCanberra Knights
No teamSydney Bears
No teamSydney Bears
Friesland FlyersNewcastle North Stars
No teamMelbourne Ice
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
Wilfrid Laurier UniversityPerth Thunder
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
Sydney BearsSydney Ice Dogs
Gold Coast Blue TonguesSydney Bears
Mälarö HFMelbourne Mustangs
ECSL RaptorsSydney Bears
Idaho SteelheadsMelbourne Mustangs
Hull StingraysNewcastle North Stars
ECDC MemmingenAdelaide Adrenaline
Ferris State UniversityAdelaide Adrenaline
Jokers de CergyAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamSydney Bears
Braehead ClanAdelaide Adrenaline
New PlymouthMelbourne Ice
Danbury WhalersSydney Ice Dogs
No teamNewcastle North Stars
ECSL StingSydney Bears
Adelaide RedwingsAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamCanberra Knights
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
No teamSydney Bears
No teamNewcastle North Stars
ECSL North StarsNewcastle North Stars
Sydney BearsCanberra Knights
Sydney BearsPerth Thunder
Orangeville AmericansSydney Ice Dogs
Colorado EaglesPerth Thunder
Brûleurs de LoupsCanberra Knights
No teamCanberra Knights
Wheeling NailersPerth Thunder
No teamMelbourne Mustangs
Adelaide RedwingsAdelaide Adrenaline
No teamPerth Thunder
No teamSydney Ice Dogs
No teamMelbourne Mustangs

Players lost
PlayerPrevious teamNew team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Newcastle North StarsECSL North Stars
Newcastle North StarsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineKnoxville Ice Bears
Perth ThunderNo team
Sydney BearsECSL Heat
Canberra KnightsNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Redwings
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Perth ThunderNo team
Newcastle North StarsQuad City Mallards
Sydney BearsNo team
Canberra KnightsDanbury Whalers
Melbourne MustangsMelbourne Ice
Canberra KnightsNo team
Canberra KnightsNo team
Sydney BearsNo team
Sydney BearsECSL Vipers
Sydney BearsECSL Sting
Newcastle North StarsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Tigers
Melbourne IceRetired
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Canberra KnightsNo team
Sydney BearsOsby IK
Perth ThunderBloomington Blaze
Sydney Ice DogsCape Cod Bluefins
Perth ThunderNo team
Sydney BearsECSL Sting
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Sydney BearsHedemora SK
Canberra KnightsNo team
Canberra KnightsNewcastle North Stars
Melbourne IceNo team
Newcastle North StarsLouisiana IceGators
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineLouisiana IceGators
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Melbourne IceNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineAdelaide Redwings
Sydney BearsNo team
Canberra KnightsNo team
Sydney Ice DogsCape Cod Bluefins
Sydney BearsNo team
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Melbourne MustangsIF Sundsvall Hockey
Adelaide AdrenalineHYC Herentals
Sydney BearsSydney Ice Dogs
Adelaide AdrenalineNo team
Newcastle North StarsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineNo team
Canberra KnightsNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Sydney BearsECSL Raptors
Canberra KnightsDayton Demonz
Sydney BearsNo team
Sydney BearsCanberra Knights
Sydney BearsPerth Thunder
Perth ThunderMississippi Surge
Sydney BearsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineNo team
Melbourne MustangsColumbus Cottonmouths
Newcastle North StarsNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team
Newcastle North StarsNo team
Adelaide AdrenalineNo team
Sydney Ice DogsNo team
Perth ThunderNo team
Melbourne IceNo team
Melbourne MustangsNo team

Regular season

The regular season started on 20 April 2013 and ran through to 1 September 2013 before the top four teams compete in the Goodall Cup playoff series.
The Sydney Ice Dogs won the H Newman Reid Trophy after finishing the regular season with the most points, 61. Newcastle North Stars' Jeff Martens won the Most Valuable Player award, after finishing as the league's top scorer with 67 points. Anthony Kimlin of the Sydney Ice Dogs was named the Australian Player of the Year and Best Goaltender, finishing with a save percentage 0.919. The Sydney Bears' Cameron Todd won the award for Best Rookie and John Gordon of the Melbourne Ice was named Best Defenceman.

April

May

June

July

August & September

Standings

Qualified for the Goodall Cup playoffsH Newman Reid Trophy winners

Statistics

Scoring leaders

List shows the ten top skaters sorted by points, then goals.
PlayerTeam
Newcastle North Stars2831366752F
Melbourne Ice2823396212F
Newcastle North Stars2628295744F
Sydney Ice Dogs2826295510F
Melbourne Ice2426285450F
Sydney Ice Dogs2728245212F
Melbourne Mustangs2830215126F
Newcastle North Stars2818335142F
Melbourne Mustangs2122254780F
Perth Thunder1611364712F

Leading goaltenders

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage with a minimum 40% of the teams ice time.
PlayerTeam
Sydney Ice Dogs1222744602.460.9192
Newcastle North Stars1206694592.450.9153
Perth Thunder646435413.170.9061
Sydney Bears747505503.350.9010
Melbourne Mustangs1150823843.650.8980

Season awards

Below lists the 2013 AIHL regular season award winners.
AwardNameTeam
Jeff MartensNewcastle North Stars
Anthony KimlinSydney Ice Dogs
John GordonMelbourne Ice
Cameron ToddSydney Bears
Anthony KimlinSydney Ice Dogs

Goodall Cup playoffs

The 2013 playoffs started on 7 September 2013, with the Goodall Cup final held on 8 September. Following the end of the regular season the top four teams advanced to the playoff series. All three games were held at the Medibank Icehouse in Docklands, Victoria, the home of the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs. The series was a single game elimination with the two winning semi-finalists advancing to the Goodall Cup final. The Sydney Ice Dogs won the Goodall Cup with a 6-2 victory over the Newcastle North Stars. Anthony Kimlin’s defensive efforts for the Ice Dogs earned him the award of Most Valuable Player for the finals series.

Semi-finals

All times are

Final