Two Teams – One Cause

8PM Thursday 6th June

Melbourne Ice and the Mustangs will face off as one for an ice hockey Derby with a difference on June 6th. In association with Hockey Players Assemble both teams are asking fans to bring food or a food parcel to the game.

Everything will then be donated to Sacred Heart Mission to help them in their work with homeless and disadvantaged members of our community.

Food parcels will be collected in trolleys located beside the Melbourne Ice information table. So please, show your true colours and give generously.

$120 per head includes 3 course dinner with champagne, wine, beer & soft drinks from 7.00pm – 11.00pm;  cash bar 7.00pm – midnight for spirits & premium liquors.

Dress is semi-formal and if you have any dietary requirements please advise at the time of booking.

Entertainment will include music from HayBax featuring Jason Baclig & Lachlan Hay and DJ Ferris. And we’ll be having our auction and raffles throughout the night.

Tables seat up to 10 people and individual bookings are welcome. If you have friends you would like to be seated with let us know and we will make sure we seat you together.
Book through the Melbourne Ice on-line shop or at the Information Table on game day.

If you have any questions about the night: gala@melbourneice.com.au

AUCTION & RAFFLE ITEMS

A major part of the evening is the auction and raffling of items donated by members, sponsors and fans. If you think you have something to donate please visit the Information Table on game day or email: gala@melbourneice.com.au

Austin McKenzie, Marcus Wong, Jack Carpenter and Daniel Szalinski are the next generation of Melbourne Ice.

These four rising stars represent the future roster for Melbourne Ice. They have traveled the world representing Australia in ice hockey, attended overseas hockey specific schools and won the Goodall cup while playing for Melbourne Ice. On Saturday 25th of May at 3pm they will be happy to enlighten you on some of their hockey stories.

Come and join Emma Poynton, Melbourne Ice President, and be prepared with questions you wold like to pitch these four young Melbourne Ice players. This event will give you the chance to ask our players what you have always wanted to know about their own hockey experiences and Melbourne Ice.

Date: Saturday 25th May, 2013

Location: St Moritz Bar, Level 1, Medibank Icehouse.

Function time: 3.00-4pm. (5pm game start).

Cost: $12 entry

All guests receive a free drink on arrival (beer, wine, champagne, soft drink, juice) and nibbles. Guests will also receive a Melbourne Ice souvenir.

Tickets are limited to 50 guests, so make sure you don’t miss out. Tickets will be sold via the Icehouse front desk.

President’s Pre-game: Melbourne Ice – The Next Generation

Saturday 25th May, 3pm

St Moritz Bar, Level 1, Medibank Icehouse

Austin McKenzie, Marcus Wong, Jack Carpenter and Daniel Szalinski are apart of the next generation of Melbourne Ice. Come and see how these young players have developed their hockey both here and overseas.

$12 – included your first drink, nibbles and Melbourne Ice Souvenir. Ticket available from the Medibank Icehouse front desk.

Melbourne Ice v Canberra Knights

Saturday 25th May, 5pm

Medibank Icehouse

Get your tickets online via the Medibank Icehouse website or at the Medibank Icehouse front desk.

Melbourne Ice Players Food Drive

Thursday 6th June, 8pm

Medibank Icehouse

Melbourne Ice import Chris Frank heads up the ‘Hockey Players Assemble’ a worldwide organization that unites hockey players and fans, through social media, in order to fundraise and increase awareness for socially conscious organizations.

The Melbourne Ice players have decided to hold a food drive at the next Melbourne Derby to support ‘The Sacred Heart Mission’.

If you would like to donate a non-perishable food item please bring it to the Melbourne Ice v Mustangs game on Thursday 6th June. A collection point will be located just inside Medibank Icehouse.

Melbourne Ice v Mustangs

Thursday 6th June, 8pm

Medibank Icehouse

Home Derby number two in the 2013 AIHL season. Get your tickets online via the Medibank Icehouse website or at the Medibank Icehouse front desk.

Melbourne Ice v Canberra Knights

Sunday 23rd June, 3.30pm

Medibank Icehouse

Get your tickets online via the Medibank Icehouse website or at the Medibank Icehouse front desk.

Canada Day Game: Melbourne Ice v Sydney Bears

Saturday 29th June, 5.30pm

Medibank Icehouse

Come and help celebrate Canada day by watching a Melbourne Ice game ~Melbourne Ice v Sydney Bears. Tickets can be purchase via the Medibank Icehouse website (www.icehouse.com.au).

Skate with the Players

Sunday 28^th July, 1.15pm

Medibank Icehouse

Members and sponsors are invited to come and skate on the Henki Rink with your favorite Melbourne Ice Players from both the Melbourne Ice mens and womens teams. Directly following the skate Melbourne Ice will play Perth Thunder at 3.30pm.

Melbourne Ice Gala and Auction

Friday 12th July

Medallion Club, Etihad Stadium

Excellence and Community Involvement

2013 Melbourne Ice Academy:

Melbourne Ice would like to congratulate the players who have been named in the 2013 Melbourne Ice Academy.

The goal of our Academy is to turn out great citizens who just happen to love playing hockey, as we all know not everyone gets to play at the highest level, hence we focus on life skills and overall health and wellbeing.  Medibank are a proud partner and the Academy mirrors many elements of their healthy attitude to life and sport, commitments.

Following the assessment day held last week 16 players have been inducted into the Melbourne Ice Academy program for the 2013 season. The program includes on-ice training and skills, gym coaching, board room education sessions and mentoring.

This season the Academy on-ice training will be lead by Melbourne Ice import players Matt Armstrong and John Gordon and power skating technical skills coach Zach Blashkiw. Dry land physical training will be instructed by Kristen Tobin and James Meredith of Fluid Health.

Melbourne Ice 2013 Academy Players:

David Foster

Byron Tschuma

Gavin Birchler

Mackenzie Hill

Nicholas French

Elijah Sutton

Brayden Martin

Darcy Flanagan

Evan Connard

Zachary Catlin

Tim VanDer Wolf

Findlay Wood

Harry Jaunozols

David Sowa

Damian Pandolfo

Jordan Adams

Alex Butler

Tony Adams (Academy Director) and Emma Poynton (President)

Medibank Melbourne Ice

Melbourne Ice  have created a new Distance Supporter Package for all of our worldwide fans.  As Melbourne Ice continues to grow so do the committed fans who follow and support Melbourne Ice from all around the globe.

If you would like to show your support for Melbourne Ice but live afar please consider becoming a 2013 Melbourne Ice Distance Supporter.

Your Melbourne Ice Distance Supporter Package will include:

-          Melbourne Ice supporter card

-          Melbourne Ice lanyard

-          Melbourne Ice Scarf

-          Melbourne Ice sticker

-          Access to the Melbourne Ice membership emails

The cost to become a Distance Supporter is $60 (AUD). The package is designed to allow you to join the Melbourne Ice family and directly enable you to support our player support fund. Funds raised through supporters purchasing this package will help our senior mens team with equipment purchases for the 2013 Australian Ice Hockey League season. All required postage fees, no matter where you live, are also inclusive.

To sign up please use our online store via this link: http://shop.melbourneice.com.au/2013-distance-supporter-package/

Yours in hockey,

Emma Poynton

President

Medibank Melbourne Ice

Photos courtesy of Kevin Phelan.

written by Michael Johnson

2013 Melbourne Ice Captains

Melbourne Ice would like to announce our captain and assistant captains for the 2013 season. Much thought went into picking the 3 players that will lead our championship team through the 2013 AIHL season. I am proud to announce our captain for 2013, Canadian Import and 2011′s Most Valuable Player in the AIHL,  Jason Baclig.

Our two assistant captains for 2013 are 2011 Division II gold medalist Tommy Powell and Melbourne born defender Vinnie Hughes. Both are key players in the Melbourne Ice lineup.

Congratulations to Jason, Tommy and Vinnie we’re sure you’ll lead the Melbourne Ice to greatness this year.

Emma Poynton

President

Medibank Melbourne Ice

The Melbourne Ice and Sydney Ice Dogs never fail to provide an entertaining matchup. On Sunday, that’s exactly what the two rival’s first encounter of the season was.

After returning from a successful west coast road trip against the Perth Thunder, the Ice fell in a shootout to the Sydney Ice Dogs 4-3. Matt Armstrong, Lliam Webster and Joey Hughes all tallied goals for the Ice while Dahlen Phillips made 21 saves on the night.

With no love lost from the two teams battles last season, the first period started off physically and fast and it took a smart play down low from Dylan Moore to break the dead lock late into the first. Lliam Webster put home the rebound after Moore got the puck to the front of the net on the power play.

The Ice controlled the period but just moments after striking first, let the Ice Dogs tie it up. Billy Cliff took a great feed from Matt Puntereri to beat Dahlen Phillips and make it a 1-1 game at the end of the first.

The hitting ramped up in the second period and the Ice Dogs failed to take advantage of the several power play opportunities, thanks to brilliant play in net from Phillips. Despite getting only the one power play chance in the second, the Ice managed to get two goals waived off during it, to the displeasure of the Ice fans.

After both sides failed to break the dead lock in the second period, the Ice Dogs broke it early into the last frame. Scott Stephenson gave the Dogs the lead after Brother Todd set him up perfectly before Matt Puntereri tailed a power play goal to make it a two goal game.

With the momentum well and truly in the Ice Dogs favor, Captain Jason Baclig made a scoring chance out of nothing and was awarded a penalty shot. Baclig could not beat Anthony Kimlin but the momentum had shifted to the Ice.

Shortly after the missed opportunity, Joey Hughes deflected a shot from brother Vinny to beat Kimlin and to bring the Ice back to within a goal.

With plenty of time remaining in the game the Ice set about tying the game and like they have several times when the Ice have been in trouble Matt Armstrong and Jason Baclig delivered for the Ice, tying the game at three with only minutes to go.

Sydney didn’t want to lose in the shootout two days in a row, and after falling to the Mustangs on Saturday they wouldn’t repeat the same result. Captain Robert Malloy scored the game winning goal in the 6^th round of the shootout.

Jason Baclig, Joey Hughes and Lliam Webster scored for the Ice in the shootout, while Simon Barg, Billy Cliff, Todd Stephenson also scored for the Sydney Ice Dogs.

The Ice will stay at home next weekend with a double header against the Adelaide Adrenaline who will play their first game in almost three weeks.

Written by Chris Bowen

—————————————————————

MI Game 4:Melbourne Ice v Sydney Ice Dogs

Sunday 5th May 2013, 3:30pm
Venue: Icehouse

MI Game 2:Melbourne Ice v Perth Thunder

Saturday 27th April 2013, 6:30pm
Venue: Perth Ice Arena

MI Game 3: Melbourne Ice v Perth Thunder

Sunday 28th Apr 2013, 6:30pm
Venue: Perth Ice Arena

Melbourne Ice v Mustangs Game 1 Review

The cross town matchup between the Ice and Mustangs has never been a dull one, and the opening game of the AIHL season would certainly be far from dull. The Ice took a matter of seconds to score the first goal of the season and there was no slowing the three peat champions down from there on in.

Greeted by a sold out crowd the Melbourne Ice put on a clinic defeating the Mustangs 7-2 thanks to a six point night by Matt Armstrong and a suburb performance in net by Dahlen Phillips.

The formidable duo of Matt Armstrong and Jason Baclig picked up where they left off from last season as Armstrong found Baclig who opened the scoring on the power play after an early penalty to import Jack Wolgemuth. Not the start new Mustangs head coach Brad Vigon was looking for.

After picking up the early lead the Ice were forced to go onto the penalty kill after two quick penalties to Mitch Humphries and Joey Hughes respectively. Dahlen Phillips stood tall in net and kept the Mustangs at bay and would be rewarded later in the period when Austin McKenzie would capitalize on a breakaway scoring his first of two goals for the night to give the Ice a two goal lead.

Only moments after McKenzie’s marker the Mustangs managed to beat Phillips on what looks to be a shot that came off a defender in front of the net leaving him with no chance.

It didn’t take long for new imports Chris Frank and John Gordon to make their mark on the game and give Ice fans a glimpse of what they can look forward too.

Frank sprung Matt Armstrong on a partial break and despite falling to the ice he still managed to beat Mustangs net minder Jon Olthuis to give the Ice a two goal cushion during the second period. Olthuis who was also playing his first AIHL game had to be sharp as the Ice continued to dominate during the second frame.

In what was the first of the new twenty minute last periods the Ice showed just how to utilize the extra time. John Gordon got in on the action with a power play goal from Matt Armstrong and then repaid the favour, setting Armstrong up for his second of the match.

“They know how to win, it’s nice to come in to a room like that and settle in with nice win like that.” John Gordon speaking after the game.

“I haven’t played in front of a crowd that excited in a long time, credit to both teams they both had some great fans out there and it really excites me as a player to come in and try and perform well.”

Gordon, who only arrived on Tuesday felt at home in his first Melbourne Ice game and was confident that the Ice had improvement left and will only get better as the season goes along.

Mustang new recruit Pat O’Kane managed to beat Phillips with a power play goal. That would be all that Dahlen Phillips would surrender as he put in a solid nights work saving 26 of the Mustangs 28 shots thrown on net.

With the game all but wrapped up Austin McKenzie cashed in and scored his second goal of the game. McKenzie was rewarded with impressive play during the AIJHL and training camp, getting top line minutes with Armstrong and Baclig and started the season off in great style.
Joey Hughes caped off a dominate night for him with a late goal to finish the proceedings in what was the perfect way for the Melbourne Ice to start their quest for four consecutive championships. With key players on national duties, the Ice who travels to Perth next weekend can only get better. Scary thought for the rest of the league.

Written by Chris Bowen