Selected photos from the Australian Ice Hockey League game between the Adelaide Adrenaline and the Brisbane Lightning played on 5/07/2025 at the Ice Arena, Adelaide, South Australia. The teams were positioned at the opposite ends of the table with the Lightning trying to secure a 2nd spot and the Adrenaline trying to stay in touch with the mid field. The Adrenaline would be with import Romans Nekludovs. The Lightning had the returning giant Russian/Mongolian Batu Gendunov and the explosive Tanner Hopps. Matus Trnka would be the starting goaltender against his ex-Adelaide team mates. The Adrenaline would have their work cut out for them, but would have the help of a sellout crowd!
In the first period the Lightning would be on a powerplay when Adrenaline’s Daniel Chen would receive a delay of game penalty at 14:41, but they were unable to make use of it. They would however score the first goal at 9:25 when Thomas Kiliwnik scored (assists Sacha Rapchuk, Gendunov). Less than a minute later, the Lightning were 2-up when Gendunov let one rip past Adrenaline goaltender Cale Dolan. Adrenaline’s captain Joey MacDougall would receive a roughing penalty at 6:11 but their penalty kill unit saw off the penalty. Then Lightning’s Carson Miller would receive a 4minute major penalty for a high stick at 5:09 to give the Adrenaline a chance to get onto the scoresheet. This they did with Josh Adkins getting the puck past Trnka at 3:37 (assists Nathaniel Benson and Coy Prevost). MacDougall would tie up the scores at 2-all with 2minutes remaining in the period (assists marcel McGuiness and Daniel Chen). A late hooking penalty to Lightning’s Alex Campbell would give the Adrenaline the powerplay in the second period. Shots on goal for the period saw the Adrenaline with 9 to the Lightning’s 11.
The Adrenaline used the powerplay and Coy Prevost scored the go-ahead goal at 19:16. They would have another chance at 16:05 when Lightning’s Kiliwnik would be called for tripping, but they were unable to add to their tally. Instead, the Lightning would silence the big home town crowd as they scored two quick goals at 13:21 by Gendunov (assists Sacha and Arum Rapchuk) and 12:40 by Hopps (unassisted) to regain the lead. Hopps would score his second goal a few minutes later at 9:13 (assists Alex Campbell and Mikko Rippon). The Adrenaline however were planting plenty of shots on goaltender Trnka and frustratingly could not find a way past so gave him plenty of attention in the goal crease. This resulted in Trnka lashing out and receiving tripping penalties at 4:23 (with Arum Rapchuk (?) sitting out the penalties). The Adrenaline threw everything at Trnka but could not find a way past. Instead, Lightning’s Alex Campbell would add their 6th goal very late in the period and the game was descending into another one-sided contest, but there was still one period to play for the Adrenaline to claw their way back in. Shots on goal for the period saw the Adrenaline dominate with 24 to 11 shots.
Scoring wasn’t easy as the Adrenaline managed to tie down the Lightning. Adrenaline’s Prevost would be called for hooking at 10:13 and Darcy Flanagan for charging (5minutes) at 8:09 which didn’t help their team’s cause, but they managed to hold on without a change to the score. Lightning’s Aaron Wanat would receive a holding penalty at 4:43 with Sacha Rapchuk joining him in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct at 3:50. Lightning’s Tanner Hopps again beat his Adrenaline opponents to record his hat trick goal with a bit over a minute remaining. With the game winding down, Adrenaline’s Julian Friederich found the puck at centre on the blue line and launched a rocket which deflected off Ryan Foll for the Adrenaline’s 4th goal (other assist Luka Loria). Shots on goal for the game, Adrenaline 38, to the Lightning 30.
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