Some of the photos from the Australian Womens Ice Hockey League game between Adelaide Rush and Perth Inferno played at the Ice Arena, Adelaide, South Australia on 08/01/2023.  After the Saturday afternoon game’s win, the Rush were confident going into the repeat encounter on the Sunday morning.  Starting goaltenders were Rebecca Kempe for the Rush and Vivian Vu for the Inferno.  Starting off proceedings on the scoreboard was Rush’s Late Tihema at 16:11, with assists coming from Jamie Lunn and Diane Glass.  A few minutes later at 13:31 the Inferno would equal the score through Michelle Clark-Crumpton with the assists coming from Elizabeth Scala and Georgia McLennan.  At 12:21, Jamie Lunn would head to the bench for a 2min minor for tripping giving the Inferno the powerplay.  No score resulted.  Then it was the Rush’s turn for a powerplay at 8:52 as Inferno’s Molly Lukowiak was deemed for tripping.  The Rush’s Tihema notched up her second goal for the game shortly afterwards, with assists coming from Jamie Lunn and Tiffany Venning.  Not to be outdone the Clark-Crumpton, Scala and McLennan combination rallied again to even the score at 2-all at 8:27 left in the first period.  Shortly afterwards with just over 8mins left, Inferno’s captain Marina Nottle would get the go ahead goal.  At 6:09, Perth’s Scala tripped her opponent giving the Rush the powerplay.  This resulted in Matilda O’Brien scoring her first AWIHL at 5:38 after a tight zinger shot on Vu’s glove side.  The assists came from Kaitlyn Malthaner and captain Nat Ayris.  Back at full strength, it would be Jamie Lunn putting the Rush ahead again at 5:06 with assists coming from Diane Glass and Kirsty Venus.  The Rush would find themselves in trouble with too many players on the ice with less than 3mins left, but were able to hold off.  Shots on goal were Rush 9 to Inferno 13.

At 18:13 in the 2nd period, things were looking good for the Rush as livewire Torie Cybulski combined with Venus for the Rush’s 5th goal to take a 2-goal advantage.  This joy was shortlived though as at 17:49 Inferno’s Scala cut the deficit to one goal after assists from Crystina Acker and Clark-Crumpton.  In fact the advantage was rubbed out when on a powerplay at 15:54, Scala would score again with assists from Clark-Crumpton and Acker.  The offender in the Rush’s sinbin being Diana Glass for roughing.  This looked like being a goal fest game looming with so much time left to play.  The Inferno now had all the momentum and with some unseen loose pucks in the crease being put away, the Inferno piled on 3 more goals to take a 3-goal unassailable lead with 7:19 left to play in the period.  A penalty to Rush’s Lalia Giveen for high-sticking didn’t help their cause.  Eventually with 4:33 left on the clock, Rush’s hard working Malthaner would peg back the deficit, with assists coming from O’Brien and Ayris.  Inferno’s Clark-Crumpton (interference at 2:55) and Rush’s Lunn (roughing at 1:47) would fall foul of the referee.  Gaining the player advantage again, the Inferno would add another goal late through Scala, unassisted.  The insane scoreline stood at 9-6 at the 2nd period break.  Shots on goal, unsurprisingly were 18-8 in favour of the Inferno.  The Rush would need to make a goaltender change.

Would the 3rd period yield more goals in this goal fest game?  The play was tight and early neither team was able to get on top of the other.  Rush’s Diane Glass accidently body checked her opponent into the boards at the grandstand stairs end of the rink at 12:38 left in the period.  Unlike the men’s hockey perhaps there were smiles all round afterwards as the players shared a joke.  The Inferno were unable to capitalise on their powerplay.  Inferno’s Marina Nottle went off for two penalties, the first for hooking at 8:49, and the second for high-sticking at 5:33.  The Rush were able to use the player advantage as Kirsty Venus posted the Rush’s 7th goal for the game at 5:20 after assists from Glass and Malthaner.  Then at 4:00 Rush’s Tiffany Venning headed to back to the bench for a 2min minor for tripping, before Inferno’s Acker was done for elbowing at 3:20.  With the Rush’s penalty seen off, the Rush had 5 skaters again, but it would be Inferno’s Isla Malcolm that would score, shorthanded at 1:57.  Final score was a mammoth 10-7 to the Inferno.  Shots on goal for the game were Inferno 50 to Rush 29.