The 2008 AIHL season was the ninth season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It ran from 19 April 2008 until 24 August 2008, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 30 and 31 August 2008. The Bears won the H Newman Reid Trophy (backdated) after finishing the regular season first in the league standings. The Newcastle North Stars won the Goodall Cup for the fourth time by defeating the Western Sydney Ice Dogs in the final.
League business
In 2008, Brisbane Blue Tongues became the Gold Coast Blue Tongues after the team relocated from Brisbane's Ice World in Boondall to Gold Coast's Iceland Bundall ice rink.
April 2008, the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium was significantly upgraded for the 2008 IIHF World Championship Division II, featuring plexi-glass boards, along with new lighting, scoreboards and expanded seating. The upgrade saw the Newcastle venue selected by the AIHL for the 2008 Goodall Cup finals weekend.
On 17 June, financial difficulties forced the Adelaide Avalanche to withdraw from the remainder of the 2008 season, leading to the cancellation and forfeiting of its 21 and 22 June games in Canberra and Penrith against the Knights (double points match) and Bears. Following negotiations, the Thebarton Ice Arena was one week later given a license for a new Adelaide team, the Adelaide A's, to fulfil the Avalanche's remaining commitments for the season, and inheriting their 2008 season results.
Regular season The regular season began on 19 April 2008 and will run through to 24 August 2008 before the top four teams advanced to compete in the Goodall Cup playoff series.
April Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap 19 April 17:00 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 1–3 Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 19 April 17:00 Canberra Knights 0–4 Adelaide A's IceArenA 19 April 17:30 Central Coast Rhinos 4–6 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 20 April 16:30 Canberra Knights 0–2 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 20 April 17:00 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 3–5 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 20 April 18:00 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 5–0 (Forfeit) Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 24 April 19:30 The Bears 6–5 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena 26 April 16:30 Melbourne Ice 3–0 Adelaide A's IceArenA 26 April 17:30 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 3–4 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 27 April 16:30 Melbourne Ice 6–5 (SO) Adelaide A's IceArenA 27 April 17:00 Canberra Knights 3–2 Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 27 April 18:00 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 2–10 () Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena Notes:
May Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap 3 May 17:00 Newcastle North Stars 2–3 (SO) Adelaide A's IceArenA 3 May 17:30 The Bears 5–3 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 3 May 18:00 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 6–4 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 4 May 16:30 Newcastle North Stars 2–7 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 4 May 18:00 Canberra Knights 2–6 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena 10 May 17:00 The Bears 4–3 Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 10 May 17:30 Melbourne Ice 6–1 () Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 10 May 18:00 Central Coast Rhinos 1–2 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena 11 May 17:00 Melbourne Ice 1–3 () The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 11 May 18:00 Newcastle North Stars 1–3 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 17 May 17:00 Central Coast Rhinos 4–3 (SO) Adelaide A's IceArenA 17 May 17:30 Newcastle North Stars 3–2 (SO) Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 17 May 18:00 The Bears 4–3 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 18 May 15:30 The Bears 4–3 Adelaide A's IceArenA 18 May 16:30 Central Coast Rhinos 4–6 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 18 May 17:00 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 3–2 (SO) Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 24 May 16:30 Canberra Knights 2–3 (SO) Adelaide A's IceArenA 24 May 17:00 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 5–4 (SO) Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 25 May 16:30 Canberra Knights 3–2 (SO) Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 25 May 18:00 Newcastle North Stars 3–1 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena 31 May 16:30 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 5–3 Adelaide A's IceArenA 31 May 17:30 Newcastle North Stars 7–1 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 31 May 17:30 Central Coast Rhinos 4–5 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace
June Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap 1 June 16:15 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 2–4 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 1 June 17:00 Canberra Knights 4–5 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 7 June 17:30 The Bears 5–6 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 7 June 17:45 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 3–10 Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 7 June 18:00 Adelaide A's 2–5 () Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 8 June 17:00 Adelaide A's 2–1 () Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena 8 June 17:30 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 5–4 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 14 June 15:30 The Bears 1–9 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 14 June 17:00 Melbourne Ice 3–8 () Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 14 June 17:30 Central Coast Rhinos 4–2 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 15 June 15:40 The Bears 4–5 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 15 June 17:00 Melbourne Ice 4–5 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena 15 June 18:00 Canberra Knights 5–2 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 21 June 15:30 Newcastle North Stars 5–0 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 21 June 17:30 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 1–6 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 21 June 17:30 Adelaide A's 0–5 (Forfeit) Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 22 June 15:30 Newcastle North Stars 5–4 (SO) Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 22 June 17:00 Adelaide A's 0–5 (Forfeit) The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 22 June 18:00 Canberra Knights 0–2 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 28 June 15:30 Central Coast Rhinos 2–0 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 28 June 17:30 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 5–4 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 28 June 17:45 Adelaide A's 4–8 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 29 June 15:30 Central Coast Rhinos 4–9 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 29 June 16:30 Adelaide A's 0–4 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 29 June 18:00 Newcastle North Stars 3–8 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena Notes:
July Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap 5 July 16:45 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 5–6 (SO) () Adelaide A's IceArenA 5 July 17:45 Newcastle North Stars 2–5 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 5 July 18:00 The Bears 2–1 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 6 July 16:30 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 3–6 () Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 6 July 16:30 Newcastle North Stars 9–10 (SO) Adelaide A's IceArenA 6 July 18:00 Canberra Knights 2–3 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena 12 July 15:30 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 7–4 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 12 July 18:00 Newcastle North Stars 6–3 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 13 July 15:30 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 2–5 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 13 July 16:30 The Bears 7–8 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 19 July 15:30 Canberra Knights 2–5 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 19 July 17:30 Newcastle North Stars 4–6 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 19 July 18:00 Melbourne Ice 3–2 () Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 20 July 15:30 Canberra Knights 7–3 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 20 July 15:30 The Bears 5–3 Adelaide A's IceArenA 20 July 17:00 Central Coast Rhinos 0–8 Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 20 July 17:00 Melbourne Ice 2–8 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena
August Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap 2 August 16:30 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 2–3 (SO) Adelaide A's IceArenA 2 August 17:30 Central Coast Rhinos 2–4 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 2 August 17:30 Newcastle North Stars 10–2 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 3 August 16:30 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 3–1 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 3 August 17:00 Central Coast Rhinos 3–13 Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 9 August 15:30 Melbourne Ice 4–6 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 9 August 17:00 Adelaide A's 3–5 () Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 9 August 17:30 Canberra Knights 5–2 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 9 August 18:00 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 3–2 (SO) Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 10 August 15:30 Melbourne Ice 9–1 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 10 August 17:30 Adelaide A's 3–4 The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 16 August 16:30 Central Coast Rhinos 0–7 Adelaide A's IceArenA 16 August 17:30 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 6–9 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 16 August 18:00 The Bears 7–8 (SO) Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena 17 August 16:30 Central Coast Rhinos 1–8 Melbourne Ice Olympic Ice Skating Centre 17 August 17:00 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 4–8 () The Bears Penrith Ice Palace 17 August 17:00 Canberra Knights 5–7 Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 23 August 15:30 Adelaide A's 3–2 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 23 August 17:30 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 7–4 Canberra Knights Phillip Ice Skating Centre 23 August 18:00 The Bears 9–3 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 24 August 15:30 Adelaide A's 7–0 Gold Coast Blue Tongues Gold Coast Iceland 24 August 19:00 The Bears 3–10 Newcastle North Stars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 24 August 18:00 Central Coast Rhinos 2–4 Western Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Ice Arena
Standings
Team The Bears 28 20 0 1 7 134 118 +16 61 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 28 15 4 1 8 126 91 +35 54 Melbourne Ice 28 17 1 1 9 124 91 +33 54 Newcastle North Stars 28 15 2 4 7 150 97 +53 53 Canberra Knights 28 10 1 2 15 91 107 -16 34 Adelaide A's 28 6 6 2 14 90 107 -17 32 Gold Coast Blue Tongues 28 8 0 3 17 104 154 -50 27 Central Coast Rhinos 28 6 1 1 20 73 129 -56 21 Qualified for the Goodall Cup playoffsH Newman Reid Trophy winners Source
Statistics Scoring leaders List shows the ten top skaters sorted by points, then goals. Current as of 31 August 2008 Player Team Newcastle North Stars 15 30 37 67 8 F Newcastle North Stars 21 35 30 65 14 F The Bears 25 22 42 64 34 F Western Sydney Ice Dogs 23 23 28 51 40 F The Bears 25 16 35 51 12 F Newcastle North Stars 14 17 30 47 0 C Melbourne Ice 20 24 22 46 61 F Canberra Knights 25 17 25 42 22 F The Bears 15 22 19 41 12 F Western Sydney Ice Dogs 20 14 25 39 42 F
Leading goaltenders Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage with a minimum 40% of the team's ice time. Current as of 31 August 2008 Player Team Newcastle North Stars 879 525 53 3.01 0.899 2 Central Coast Rhinos 803 554 68 4.23 0.877 2 Adelaide A's 630 352 48 3.81 0.864 1 Western Sydney Ice Dogs 663 347 48 3.62 0.862 0 Melbourne Ice 942 444 66 3.50 0.851 3
Goodall Cup playoffs
The 2008 playoffs was scheduled for 30 August with the Goodall Cup final held on 31 August 2008. Following the end of the regular season the top four teams advanced to the playoff series which was held at the redeveloped Hunter Ice Skating Stadium in Warners Bay, Newcastle, New South Wales. The series was a single game elimination with the two winning semi-finalists advancing to the Goodall Cup final. The Goodall Cup was won by the Newcastle North Stars (4th title) who defeated the Western Sydney Ice Dogs 4–1. The North Star's Canadian import forward, Mickey Gilchrist, was named the finals most valuable player (MVP).
All times are UTC+10:00
Semi-finals
Final
References
External links Official website of the AIHL 2008 AIHL Rosters