In the first game of a Sydney double-header, the CBR Brave registered a 7 to 3 win against the Sydney Ice Dogs. 

After suffering their first loss for the year last weekend, the Brave were looking to get back on the Winners list - and the Ice Dogs were looking for a better showing after a heavy loss in the first Battle of Sydney for 2022 on Friday night.

Initially, shots on goal heavily favoured the CBR Brave and the visitors finally hit the scoreboard with a shot from the hash marks by Joey Hughes. Two minutes later, the Ice Dogs stuck back - after Strat Allen was left unmarked in front of goal and he tapped in a cross-ice pass to beat Alex Tetreault.

The Brave continued to attack and it seemed like only a matter of time before they would score - but it was the hosts who took the lead. With a Brave Penalty Kill about to expire, the Ice Dogs took full toll - and an unmarked Marcus Hosen scored a long-range goal to make the score 2 goals to 1 at the First Intermission.

Whatever was discussed in the Brave Dressing Rooms at the First Intermission seemed to spark the team into action - with the Brave piling on three goals in the space of two minutes at the start of the Second Period.

The tying goal was scored with a long-range strike from the Blue Line by Andy Camenzind - as an Ice Dogs penalty was expiring.

The Brave’s third goal was scored by a typically gritty effort from veteran Joey Hughes - who retrieved a shot from the end wall, skated it out and beat a defender and the Goaltender to force the puck into the goal.

The Ice Dogs immediately took their Time Out, to break the Brave’s momentum - but this was not to be. From the face-off after the goal, the puck was stolen by Casey Kubara who skated it down into the Brave attacking zone and found an unmarked, charging Wehebe Darge who clinically struck the puck past the Ice Dogs Goaltender - making the score 4 to 2.

The Brave continued to attack - and it seemed only a matter of time before another goal would come. The fifth goal would take some time - but it came with a solo effort from Brave Captain Kai Miettinen. After dispossessing an Ice Dogs player in their attacking zone, Miettinen skated hard to pinch the puck a second time at the Brave’s blue line - before beating the Netminder one-on-one.

The Second Period ended with the Brave ahead 5 goals to 2.

The Shot Count in the Final Period showed the lop-sided nature of the competition - with the Brave looking like they may score at any time and putting up 14 shots on goal to 3.

Although the Ice Dogs registered the first goal - again courtesy of Forward Strat Allen - it was Bayley Kubara who scored first for the Visitors. Bayley took the puck from brother Tyler at centre ice and drove hard into the attacking zone to beat the Ice Dogs Goaltender and make it 6 goals to 3.

Barely two minutes later it was a Kubara-to-Kubara goal - with Bayley taking the puck at the Ice Dog’s Blue line and making an inch-perfect stretch pass to a charging Casey, who had got in behind the defence and who then beat the Goaltender one-on-one.

The game ended with the score 7 goals to 3 - awarding another 3 points to the CBR Brave, who maintain their lead on top of the AIHL Ladder.

Next game for the CBR Brave is Sunday June 5, where they will again lock horns with rivals the Sydney Bears. The Brave will be seeking to put the result from last weekend out of their minds - and exact some revenge for a home loss.

Goals
CBR Brave:  Joey Hughes (2); Andy Camenzind, Wehebe Darge, Kai Miettinen, Bayley Kubara, Casey Kubara (1)
Sydney Ice Dogs:  Strat Allen (2); Marcus Hosen (1)