Following on from its ground breaking coverage in 2007 the Australian Ice Hockey League and Slapshot Entertainment will be working together to provide live game coverage of the entire 2008 Finals series this weekend on a ‘pay per use’ basis streamed over the internet.
For the first time in its 100 year history, an Australian Ice Hockey League Final will be televised across Australia following successful negotiations between the AIHL, Power Productions and Fox Sports.
Adelaide opened the scoring after 5 minutes as Josh Harding slammed in a rebound on the powerplay. The Bears soon got one back after Vlad Rubes hit a streatching Vit Stransky to go in 1 on 0 and deke A's goalie Christopher Elf to tie it up, 1-1 at the end of the first. The intencity picked up as the game went on, and Sydney were able to go ahead, when a turnover allowed Vladan Stransky and Rubes a 2 on 0 which Rubes buried...
The Bears on Saturday night took on Canberra Knights at home. With the Bears in a solid position to make the finals later in the month, Coach Vladimir Rubes tried several player changes to see what strengths and weaknesses to work on.
The Bears had a tough weekend, going down to the in-form Newcastle Northstars in Penrith on Saturday. The Bears coach Vlad Rubes said "Nothing went our way on Saturday, we learnt from it and move forward. We are still the leading AIHL team".
In a high scoring affair the Bears went down to the Melbourne ice in Melbourne on Sunday. After just 2 minutes Vladan Stransky scored first for the Bears, smooth-handing his way past the Melbourne defence and putting the puck in the net. Before the first ended Melbourne’s Tommy Powel was able even the scores.
Vit Stransky scored both of Bears' goals in his retrun after several weeks in Czech, to help the Bears to a 2-1 win over the Central Coast Rhinos on Saturday.
The Bears have claimed the 2008 Australian Ice Hockey League minor premiership with 2 games in hand, after beating the Gold Coast Blue Tongues 8-4 at the Penrith Ice Palace on Sunday. The Bears got away early with 2 goals in the first 3 minutes. The Tongues got one back but Sydney scored again on a 5 on 3 power play. Before the end of the first Gold Coast added another to make it a 1 goal deficit.
In a rematch of last years final, the Bears hosted the Newcastle Northstars on Saturday, and again the Bears came out on top, this time in a dramatic come from behind performance. Paul Shumak raced in on a breakaway and buried the go ahead goal top corner to give the Bears the lead for the first time in the game, with 2 minutes to go.
The Penrith Bears ended a tumultuous season on Sunday with the best possible ending, winning the Goodall Cup before a home crowd at their new rink at Penrith Ice Palace in overtime.
The Bears Ice Hockey team, have again won the Pre-Season Series “Wilson Cup” last Sunday. The Bears whose home base is the Penrith Ice Palace, have won the Pre-Season Wilson Cup for the second year running. In the Final they played, what proved to be a tough game against the West Sydney Ice Dogs and after the score see-sawed throughout the game the Bears finished ahead 6 to 4.
The AIHL board have passed on the message that they hope to know on next Monday the 23rd June on whether there will be an Adelaide team to play out the rest of the 2008 season.
Adelaide Withdraw from 2008 Season (no Bears game this Sunday)
The Australian Ice Hockey League has been informed by the Adelaide Avalanche that due to financial and administrative reasons, the Avalanche are withdrawing from the remainder of the 2008 season.
