Selected photos from the Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League game between Adelaide Rush and Brisbane Lightning playing on 9/02/2025 at the Ice Arena, Adelaide, South Australia. Give a go between the pipes for the Rush was veteran goaltender Claudia Tom. The Lightning were sticking with Imogen Perry. The Rush were looking for maximum points from the weekend to send a clear message to the other teams in the finals, whereas the Lightning wanted to spoil the party.
The first period started with a bang, no more than 1min 15secs in when Rush captain Tash Farrier scored the opener. At the 14:43 mark Lightning’s Samantha Brophy headed to the sin bin for a hooking minor to give the Rush the powerplay but the Lightning’s penalty kill unit saw off the penalty. Then in the middle of the period Lightning’s Lindsey Kiliwnik struck to even the score. A short time later Rush’s Aspen Cooper and Lightning’s Brophy decided roughing was the order of the day and both booked themselves a 2min breather in the sin bin. While the numbers on the ice were equal, the potent Kiliwnik scored again to give the Lightning the lead. Some more penalties were dished out such was the aggression from both the teams (Lightning’s Amanda Dixon for boarding and Rush’s Sierra Meroniuk for roughing). It was looking like the Lightning would take the lead into the first break…until Nat Ayris scored a goal in the dying seconds of the period to even the score. Shots on goal were 9 to the Rush to the Lightning’s 6 shots.
The Lightning came out with plenty of pep in the 2nd period. First Allie Fischer would score at the 18:15 mark to restore the one -goal lead, and then less than a minute later Kate Sinclair would silence the home crowd to put the Lightning up by 2. What I commonly call a “bang-bang”, two quick goals in a short space of time that can turn a game on its head. The Lightning were looking to go with a bang! Lightning’s Kelly Costa caused an interference at 9:35, but this was followed up almost immediately by Rush’s Jamie Lunn for the same offence. Seeing a chance to get noticed new girl Anika Wegund sent her Lightning opponent into the boards, and snuck out quietly, leaving her older team mates to face the music with an angry Lightning team. With the Lightning on the powerplay they had the chance to make the Rush pay, but Kate Tihema scored shorthanded to put the Rush behind by one going into the 2nd break. It was going to be a very interesting last home period for the Rush to try and come over the top of the Lightning, or would the Lightning with stand the pressure to cause an upset? Plenty of shots had been put on goal by both teams, Rush 14 to Lightning 13.
As it turned out, the Lightning did hold onto their slender lead for the next 20mins despite plenty of pressure with no change to the score line. Late in the period Rush’s Kirsty Venus would receive a tripping minor. Shots on goal for the game saw the Rush put on 33 shots to the Lightning 26.
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