Selected photos from the many many photos taken (new record for keepers from a game!) of the Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League game between Adelaide Rush and Melbourne Ice played on 30/11/2024 at the Ice Arena, Adelaide, South Australia. The Rush were looking to consolidate their position near the top of the table after an excellent start to their 2024-2025 season. Ice on the other hand found themselves towards the lower end going into this game and looking at climbing the ladder. Emma Moonen would be the starting goaltender for the Rush, with Makayla Peers at the opposite end for the Ice.
The first change to the scoresheet was Rush’s Elana Holub getting a 2min minor at 16:36 giving the Ice and early chance to score with the player advantage. However the Rush’s penalty kill unit made light work of it and there was no change in the score. Not until 10:11 left in the period when Rush’s explosive goal-scoring import Jordan Kulbida put the Rush on the board. The assist came from captain Tash Farrier. The Ice were unable to find a way to score, even when Kulbida went back to penalty box for hooking at the 4:18 mark. Shots on goal for the period saw the Rush put up 10 shots to the Ice’s 5.
Both teams took the puck back and forth with the goaltenders stopping every attempt with the Rush hammering goaltender Peers. A hooking penalty to Ice’s Steph Conlon at 15:44 gave the Rush a chance to score but the Ice held firm (I was going to say melt under the pressure…groan). The Ice did level the score at 7:13 when Stephanie Cochrane found the back of the net after an assist from Sharna Godfrey. The Rush would silence the home crowd 2mins later as they posted their second goal of the game as Godfrey scored. Danielle Butler and Cochrane had the assists. The Rush regrouped, and this spurred import Sierra Meroniuk on and she scored at 4:02 to tie the game. The assists came from Farrier and Aspen Cooper. At the same time Ice’s Isabela Raymundo was pinged by the referee for tripping. Shots on goal for the period saw the Rush dominating with 18 shots to Ice’s 7 shots.
Mere seconds into the period, Rush’s Farrier headed back to the bench with a tripping minor giving the Ice a chance to go ahead. However, Coach Jeff Fode must have had some inspiring words for his Rush players as Meroniuk would put the Rush ahead 3-2 at 15:48 (assists Kaitlyn Malthaner and Nat Ayris), and then Kubida would score her second goal of the game at 13:55 (assist Tiffany Venning). Kulbida was on fire and despite crashing into the boards after firing off a shot (she may have been helped by an Ice player) she scored her hat trick goal at 11:56 to give the Rush a comfortable 5-2 margin. Assists came from Kirsty Venus and Farrier. A roughing penalty to Ice’s Conlon at 10:47 went unanswered by the Rush with the player advantage. Rush’s Cooper would get a hooking penalty at 7:44 but the Ice were unable to score as the Rush’s penalty kill unit stood firm. Then a skirmish in front of Rush’s goaltender Moonen saw several players hit the deck and with Venus taking time to move off the puck, she was given a Delay of Game penalty. Ice’s Butler capitalised on this and got the margin back to 2 goals (Conlon and Godfrey got the assists). With the Rush still down a player in the sin bin, Kulbida took matters in her own hands and scored her 4th goal for the game, heading back to the bench ecstatically clutching her Rush jersey to the bench showing how happy she was to be a Rush player. Jamie Lunn and Holub had the assists. Then Rush’s Kate Timeha chimed in with a goal, teaming up with Malthaner. Despite staring at a 7-3 scoreline the Ice weren’t done and knew how quick a game can change. This was the case! With a powerplay (Rush’s Amber Bedell being given a Delay of Game penalty), the hardworking Christian Julien reduced the margin to 3 goals again with 2:25 left to play. Things started to get tight with just under a minute left, Ice’s Emily Davis-Tope scored the Ice’s 5th goal (assists Conlon and Butler). Time was on the Rush’s side and they ran out winners in a 7-5 goal fest. Shots on goal for the game saw the Rush post 40 shots to the Ice’s 28 shots.
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