Week 2 recap: Thunder, Mustangs extend win-streaks

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The second week of the 2025 AIHL season is complete, with fans treated to four thrilling overtimes in a tense weekend of hockey.

From a 119-save weekend from a goalie tandem and a memorable six-point night for one import, there were many surprise results. Two teams have staked their claim as the team to beat while the 2024’s grand finalists have struggled to find their footing.

So, here are the key moments from the six games of Week 2 of the AIHL season.



Lightning stun Ice in all-time goalie duel

The Brisbane Lightning shocked the Melbourne crowd as they dealt the Ice their second straight overtime loss to begin the season, leaving as 2-1 winners.

It was a goalie duel for the ages, Brisbane’s Jakob Doornbos saving a ridiculous 58 shots on club debut, including 23 second period attempts from the Ice. Down the other end, returning cult hero and superstar import Tatsu Ishida reminded Ice fans what they had been missing in their 9-8 loss to the Rhinos last week, saving 30 out of 32 shots for a 0.938 save percentage, which ranks him behind only Doornbos after this weekend’s action.

The game had undertones of playoff-esq intensity, neither team willing to budge as their goaltenders morphed into virtual brick walls for the match. Melbourne’s only goal for the game came first and early in the game, import Kolton Shindle breaking the deadlock with perfect puck placement over Doornbos’ left pad and under his glove to go up 1-0 five minutes in. Only a deadeye snipe like that could do damage to Doornbos on this night.

Despite Doornbos’ Brodeur-like performance, the Lightning struggled to turn his efforts into goals down the other end, outshot 37-21 by the end of the second period. Yet, even as the Ice produced high danger chances both during 5-on-5 play and with special teams on the rink, Doornbos was a brick wall, ensuring the Lightning’s deficit remained at just one goal entering the final third.

Forward Sacha Rapchuk was finally rewarded for his efforts with the tying goal 46 seconds into the final third, off of a beautiful dish from the captain Aaron Wanat.

That moment was enough to send what had been such a tight contest to a deserved overtime, where Batu Gendunov ultimately capitalised on a breakaway immediately after a sensational 2-on-1 stop from Doornbos. Ishida’s aggressive stance out of the blue paint, which had succeeded all day, didn’t pan out as he tried to close the gap to the rapidly approaching Gendunov, his snapshot too quick to deflect away.

It gave the Lightning and Doornbos a deserved road win, the Ice left ruing after countless slot shots went begging and another third period lead was squandered. The Ice next fixture is out west, taking on arguably the hottest team in the competition in the Thunder as Brisbane will get the bye.



Mustangs secure two-points despite 60-save effort from Lightning goaltender

A valiant Brisbane Lightning side fell short to the Melbourne Mustangs 4-3 at O’Brien Icehouse on Sunday, a late powerplay goal from Brad Campbell earning them a third consecutive overtime game. However, they were unable to secure the weekend sweep of the two Melbourne sides in the extra frame, with Mustang Mac Roy retaining Melbourne’s undefeated start with a deceptive backhand flying by the outstretched arm of Matus Trnka.

In what was a scrappier affair compared to the Lightning’s 2-1 win over the Ice on Saturday with a combined 22 penalty minutes between the teams, both sides tried to take advantage while on the powerplay. Brisbane capitalised on this early, drawing first blood through Sacha Rapchuk fifteen seconds into their first man-advantage.

But it was the class of the Mustangs experienced top line that guided Melbourne through the early physicality and to eventual victory, breaking through via Jordan Warren and Scott Timmins a few minutes later in the first. These stars proved their value after Brisbane tied the game back up, Canadian import Zack Phillips and Warren unsurprisingly involved in Brody Lindal’s first goal of 2025.

The Lightning can certainly carry their heads high after this weekend as they further legitimise their status as early playoff contenders, especially if they continue to receive freakish efforts from their goaltending tandem. Trnka finished this game with an outrageous 60 saves, somehow more than the 58 saves Doornbos had on Saturday, securing points they were in no position to obtain.

The Mustangs after a relatively disappointing 2024 season seem to have found their confidence from the 2023 championship season and will look to extend their win streak against the Northstars next.



Newcastle sweep Rhinos in thrilling weekend series

The Northstars pinched two victories from the Central Coast Rhinos in a tense weekend, winning both matches in overtime.

Saturday’s game was defensively sound, each team conceding just six penalty minutes, but that was the difference maker for Newcastle in the end. Wehebe Darge tied the contest at 1-1 on the powerplay midway through the third period, former Sydney Bear Ryan Annesley earning his first point of the season on the play.

A wicked shot from flourishing defenceman Ethan Hawes would be tipped in by Beau Taylor in OT, the Northstars sneaking by with a 2-1 win at home. It came at the expense of a fantastic goaltending performance from Anand Oberoi, who recorded 39 saves from 41 shots.

Sunday’s contest felt eerily similar to the pre-season battle Newcastle and Central Coast competed in back in March, a high-scoring game which include five third period goals. The fact Central Coast secured a point in this game was impressive enough, having just 21 shots on goal, but a Mackenzie Bolger hattrick was enough to force the extra period, scoring two goals in two minutes to tie the game at 6-6.

In the end, import Francis Drolet proved his worth for the Northstars, notching the OT winner just 32 seconds in, Darge picking up his fourth assist of the game as a result.

The series proved that both these teams have what it takes to be a playoff calibre team offensively and defensively, they just need to find that form more consistently. With a testy matchup against the Mustangs ahead for both Newcastle and Central Coast next on the schedule, only time will tell which version of the Northstars and Rhinos is for real.



Thunder cement themselves as Goodall Cup contenders with dominant weekend over Brave

The Perth Thunder are officially the team to beat, extending their winning streak to four games with two dominant wins over the Canberra Brave, doing so on Canberra’s home ice no less.

Canberra found it difficult to contain all four lines, with Perth piling on 13 goals across the two games, but out of anyone it was Benjamin Berard who the Brave simply had no answer for. The Frenchman finished this weekend with 10 points (1G, 9A) and now ranks second in the league for points this season behind fellow import teammate,Yu Hikosaka.

Perth’s success began on Saturday, their poised play lifting them to a 6-4 victory. Through two periods, Canberra kept up with the Thunder, going up 2-1 and then, after losing the lead, tying the contest up late in the second period with a powerplay goal from Cameron Todd. The Thunder put the foot down in the final frame however, scoring just over a minute in and then punishing Brandon McNally for a misconduct penalty with two powerplay goals 36 seconds apart from Berard and Kieren Webster respectively.

The Thunder nearly let themselves down with some poor discipline, however, Ville Tenosalmi taking a major penalty with five minutes remaining, followed by two minor penalties by Lynden Lodge and Robert Haselhurst. It gifted Canberra the opportunity to mount a late comeback with extended 5-on-3 opportunities, but goaltender Aleksi Toivonen exacted revenge on his former club, coming in clutch with multiple big saves in the dying minutes.

Yu Hikosaka, who was quiet for his standards on Saturday, turned up his goalscoring abilities the following day. He bagged another four goals in the 7-2 blowout, all assisted by Berard, who had a career night, assisting on six of Perth’s seven goals.

While Canberra were in the fight for much of the first period, Hikosaka’s first of the night in the final period gave Perth all the momentum they needed. The Thunder scored three straight to open the second period, and they didn’t look back.

The Thunder have now secured all 12 available points from their four matches to begin the year, the depth of their squad evidently a significant strength. Perth currently rank 2^nd both in scoring and defence and have Toivonen’s stellar play too (0.911 SV%), and it’s quickly turned them into the must-watch team of the competition.

The Brave, meanwhile, will look to find their footing on the road against the Adelaide Adrenaline next, a tough fixture against a team who could be absolutely anything in 2025.