Game Report: CBR Brave versus Newcastle Northstars - 6 May 2023

In what was a fast-paced and very exciting Game, the Caribou CBR Brave outplayed and outlasted the Newcastle Northstars to take a 4-goals-to-3 win in their Australian Ice Hockey League encounter at the Philip Ice Skating Centre on Saturday evening.

This was the first match-up between the two teams since the Brave defeated the Northstars in last year’s AIHL Final - to secure their second Goodall Cup. The Brave were keen to atone for a last-start loss against the Melbourne Mustangs - and the Northstars were looking to exact a small measure of revenge for their Finals loss last season.

The game began at a phrenetic pace - with both teams trying to be the first on the Scoreboard and take an advantage into the First Intermission.

The action was fast, with very few stoppages and the Visitors were the first to hit the scoreboard, when their first shot on goal - a sixth minute long-range shot from Josh Adkins - beat Brave Goaltender Alex Tetreault.

The Northstars continued to apply pressure and - at points - the Brave had to scramble to keep the Visitors at bay. The First Period ended with the Northstars leading 1 goal to nil - and with shots on goal also favouring the Visitors.

Newcastle came out for the Second Period and showed a smothering pressure in attack, trapping the Brave in their defensive zone early. This pressure played dividends, when Patrick Nadin doubled the Northstar’s lead with a long range shot that beat the Goaltender’s Glove.

The Brave fought hard to respond, and their efforts finally showed on the Scoreboard just over three minutes later - when Matt Harvey received a pass in front of the Newcastle goal, wheeled around and snapped the puck over the Goaltender’s outstretched glove.

The Home team levelled the scores with less than two minutes to play in the Period, when Matt Harvey intercepted a pass in the Brave’s defensive zone and rushed up the Ice to rip a shot past Newcastle Goaltender, Charlie Smart.

The Final Period began with a bang - when a scuffle in a stoppage led to coincidental double-minor Roughing penalties to the Brave’s Matt Harvey and Northstar’s Hamish Powell. With the Brave’s Joey Hughes also sent to the Penalty Box for a Cross-Check, the Northstars briefly had a Power Play opportunity.

When Kai Miettinen was taken down to the Ice moments later, the Visitors lost their advantage.

The Brave struck immediately, with Import Chris Stoikos wrestling the puck from a Northstars Defender and skating it behind the net to wrap a shot around the Post and into the Goal. 

This was the first lead of the game for the Brave - and within a minute the Brave had doubled it.

Brave Captain Kai Miettinen intercepted a Northstars pass in the Brave Defensive zone and skated the puck up the ice. Entering the Brave’s attacking zone, Miettinen cut into the centre of the ice and hammered a slapshot pass the Goaltender to make the lead 4-goals-to-2.

The Northstars continued to attack - they outshot the Brave 28 shots to 10 for the Final Period  - applying immense pressure to the Home team. With just over three minutes remaining and the Northstars on a Power Play, they pulled their Goaltender out of his net to add an extra skater and create a 6-on-4 scoring opportunity. 

The Brave defended grimly but - with 54 seconds left in the game - the Northstars managed to find the back of the net. A long range shot drew the Brave Goaltender out of position, resulting in a tip-in for Zane Jones.

The Northstars threw everything at the Brave for the final minute of the game in an effort to tie the game, but were ultimately unsuccessful - with the Caribou CBR Brave winning the game 4 goals to 3.

This is the Brave’s third win in Regulation for the season - and takes them to equal first in the Rurak Conference with the Brisbane Lightning.

The next game for the Brave is Saturday 13 May at the Erina Ice Arena, when they face the last-placed Central Coast Rhinos.
 

Caribou CBR Brave 4 - Newcastle Northstars 3
Goal Scorers:
- Caribou CBR Brave:  Matt Harvey (2), Chris Stoikos, Kai Miettinen
- Newcastle Northstars:  Josh Adkins, Patrick Nadin, Zane Jones