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HELLYER LADDER

Team	GP	W	L	PTS
Thunder	5	4	1	12
Ice	3	3	0	9
Bears	4	3	1	9
Mustangs	2	1	1	3
Ice Dogs	5	1	4	3

RURAK LADDER

Team	GP	W	L	PTS
Northstars	3	3	0	9
Lightning	5	2	3	6
Adrenaline	2	1	1	3
Brave	5	1	4	3
Rhinos	4	0	4	0

SCORING LEADERS

Jeremiah
Addison (PER)

Player	Points
Aiden Wagner (NNS)	16
Wehebe Darge (NNS)	12
francis Drolet (NNS)	12
Zane Jones (PER)	11

GOALIE LEADERS

N Novysedlak (BRE)

1.000

Goalie	SV%
Tatsunoshin Ishida (MIC)	.952
Rhys Pelliccione (PER)	.950
Leo Bertein (PER)	.937
Jeremy Friederich (ADE)	.912

Bears see shootout success over North Stars

Monday, June 20, 2016 - Submitted by Ryan Darnley

The Sydney Bears won their third straight game to move into sixth on the AIHL ladder after a hard-fought shootout victory over reigning champions the Newcastle North Stars at Penrith Ice Palace on Sunday night.

Assistant Coach Steve Austin pointed out that this was the sixth shootout for the Bears this season.

“That was our sixth one, I do believe, and we’re 4-2 in the shoot-outs,” Austin said. “If you turn those into outright wins, we’d be right up with the top bunch.”

Both teams played very strong defensive hockey with both Dayne Davis and Anthony Kimlin - fresh from playing for Team Schlamp on the AIHL All-Star Weekend - holding firm for their sides.

Cagey, tactical and physically strong hockey was the order of the day with plenty of penalties dished out across the game; each side giving up five power play opportunities.

It wasn’t on the power play though that the deadlock was broken; with the Newcastle North Stars stealing a lead through Connor McLaughlin early in the second period.

Try as they might though, the North Stars were unable to make use of their shots on net to bring the lead out to two, which would eventually bite them in the third period.

Another period of hockey; full of grit, determination and a high level of intensity saw chances wasted by both sides before Tomas Landa found the net for the Bears on the power play.

Bears Captain Michael Schlamp notched an assist on the effort to celebrate his 200^th AIHL game, the milestone coming against the side he originally played for back in 2002.

The goal may prove a difference maker come the season’s end, as evidenced by Austin’s comment on it being the game’s ‘turning point’.

“We’ve got to win pretty well every game to get into the final four, so there’s not fooling around – you’ve got to win,” he said. “You can’t go out on the ice and be slack so the guys came out with a really good effort third period and I think that was the turning point in the game.”

Unfortunately for the Bears, despite the goal coming with fifteen minutes to play, they couldn’t convert any of their eighteen third period chances on net.

To their credit, Newcastle managed seventeen in the third period showing just how wide open the goal threw the game.

Ultimately though, a shootout always seemed likely as the final period wore on; neither side seemed to be able to find a crack in the other’s defensive armour.

Brian Funes, Brandon Greenside, Connor McLaughlin and Michael Schlamp all failed to net their shoot-out attempts before Josh Harris and Nic Kawasaki both slotted theirs home.

This left it up to Scott Swiston and Brent Vandenberg in sudden-death; Swiston unlucky on his attempt whilst Vandenberg was able to see his shot through Davis and seal the win.

Especially impressive was 16-year old rookie, Jeremy Vasquez, who made his debut for the Bears against a near full-strength North Stars side.

“Jeremy, the rookie we had play tonight that’s just come in from Canada; he was an example of showing legs and youth,” Austin said. “It’s good to see him play the way he did – I think he lifted a few of the guys. Maybe a few of the guys feel a little old watching him play, but it was good to have him – he was our stand-out tonight.”

Both sides have double headers next week with the Bears traveling to Melbourne to take on the Melbourne Ice in the Canada Day Classic on Saturday before facing the Mustangs on Sunday, while the North Stars have a home and away series against the Sydney Ice Dogs.

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