Northstars have a difficult weekend in Perth to start the season.

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The Newcastle Northstars started April and the season with the long flight across the country to the Perth Ice Arena. Upon landing, they faced a battle. On Saturday 5 April 2025, the Perth Thunder would finish strong with a 7-4 win over the Northstars. On Sunday 6 April 2025, the Thunder would dominate 6-1 to sweep the weekend and take all six points.
 
Adding to the difficulties of the travel in the first round, Northstars’ goalkeeper Charlie Smart was out for the opening weekend due to injury. As a result, Ben Kleineschay stepped up to take on this challenge. Across the weekend, Kleineschay faced 35 shots from a fired up Perth. To say it was a tough introduction to the Australian Ice Hockey League is an understatement.
 
For Saturday’s game, the scoreline is perhaps a touch deceiving for the determination the Northstars showed. Despite Perth scoring the first four goals across the first and second periods, the Northstars fought back hard against the relentless attack. Maliq West, Casey Kubara and Wehebe Darge scored consecutively to put the Northstars back within one goal.
 
A special mention to Casey Kubara, whose second period goal was his 100th AIHL goal!
 
Unfortunately, Perth Thunder’s Yu Hikosaka would finish the game strong scoring three of his five goals after the fight back, only answered by Kubara’s second goal in the third period. The Northstars just weren’t strong enough to beat the onslaught that Perth dealt.
 
 
On Sunday, the Northstars would see a Perth Thunder on the high from the previous day’s win be too much to handle. After Perth scored the first, Northstar’s veteran Shane Southwood scored the sole goal of the game for Newcastle in the first period. A penalty-ridden game saw Newcastle on the back foot, struggling to find any momentum, and Perth took advantage with a barrage of shots at Kleineschay. The Thunder would put on another five unanswered goals (with two more to Hikosaka) across the game to win 6-1 and take all six points for the weekend.
 
 
The Northstars will return home next week on Saturday, April 12, against the Central Coast Rhinos, and play in Erina on Sunday, April 13.