Team | GP | PTS |
---|---|---|
Norths.. | 18 | 30 |
Brave | 19 | 21 |
Lightn.. | 16 | 18 |
Adrena.. | 15 | 16 |
Rhinos | 18 | 10 |
Player | Points |
---|---|
K Elder | 23 |
D O'Handley | 8 |
N Benson | 8 |
S Dosanjh | 7 |
Elder Strikes Twice, Freeman the Hero in Home Opener for the Ages |
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The Adelaide Adrenaline pulled out all the stops for their home opener on Saturday in a home opener for the ages, including a game winning goal against the Sydney Bears with just one minute left in the third period. Anticipation for the 2024 season has been building for months as the Adrenaline focused on strengthening their full time roster in an early bid to pave a way for the playoffs. Familiar powerhouses Joey MacDougall, Ryan Foll, and Nathaniel Benson took to the ice on Saturday night alongside veteran Sean Greer who skated out in an Adrenaline jersey for the first time in nearly seven years. Fans were lining up outside the Ice ArenA nearly an hour before puck drop. Yoann Levesque put the Adrenaline on the board midway through the first period with an assist from Ryan Foll. The Bears were able to even the score with a power play goal before the period was up but the Adrenaline controlled most of the second period, with Canadian import Kaden Elder scoring his first AIHL goal and giving the Adrenaline a 2-1 lead. Tempers flared towards the end of the second which resulted in two penalties for the Bears and one for the Adrenaline. Despite the five-on-four advantage for the Adrenaline heading into the third period, star Sydney forward Samuli Vainiopaa was able to score a short handed goal and tie the game yet again. Bears captain Ryan Annesley then shot home a power play goal to take the lead and break the back of the Adrenaline However, against the backdrop of a sold out crowd at the Ice ArenA, the Adrenaline powered through the rest of the third period with Kaden Elder tying the game with 11 minutes left, his second of the game. Goalie Jeremy Friederich put the Adrenaline on his back for the last period, stopping multiple breakaways and prime scoring opportunities to give his team a chance to take the lead. He would finish the night with a 0.912% save percentage. Jordan Freeman shot home the game winner with just over a minute left to secure the 4-3 victory for the Adrenaline as the home opener hero. It's the first time the Adrenaline have won a home opener since 2017. One Adrenaline duo to keep an eye on this year is Kaden Elder and Josh Adkins, contributing six points between them in this game alone. Elder spoke recently on the benefits of staying consistent all year round, "I’ve kept the mindset that if I’m ever in a slump I've always got to move forward and not take steps back," he says. "Learning from your mistakes is what makes you successful." The Adrenaline are cautiously optimistic after securing their first win of the season but make no mistake about it: this is a team hungry for change and will stop at nothing to achieve their shared goal of a playoff spot. The Adrenaline hit the road for their next five games and will return to Adelaide to play the Melbourne Mustangs on Saturday 11th May. Single game tickets, 5-game passes, memberships, and sponsorship options are still available. |
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Contact Information
Adelaide Adrenaline Ice Hockey Club Inc.
Adelaide, South Australia
Australia
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