Selected photos from the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) game between the Adelaide Adrenaline and arch rivals the 2025 AIHL Champions Melbourne Ice played on 20/06/2026 at the Ice Arena, Adelaide, South Australia. Cale Dolan, recently over injury, returned to the net for the Adrenaline. For the Ice up the other end was Tatsunoshin Ishida. The Ice had recently acquired the much experienced veteran Simon Despres who had a wealth of NHL experience with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Mighty Ducks as well AHL, KHL, Germen DEL, Austrian ICEHL and Great Britain’s EIHL, and also international player for Team Canada! His imposing size and experience would be one to watch. The Adrenaline would need to dig deep to combat the likes of Joakim Erdugan and Kolton Shindle, frequent visitors to the top of the AIHL scoring table. Yet again, the Adrenaline faithful had ensured a sellout crowd along with many Ice fans making the trip over. Despite being the 2025 AIHL Champions the Ice had struggled this 2026 season were languishing at the lower end of the table with the Adrenaline.
The Adrenaline matched whatever the Ice could give out in the 1st period and their goaltender Cale Dolan was on point. Only two penalties were dished out, a roughing to Ive’s Kolton Shindle, and a cross-checking to Adrenaline’s Kolby Johnson, but neither resulting in goals, and by the end of the period the score was 0-0. Shots on goal for the period: Ice 14, Adrenaline 13.
An early unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Kolby Johnson gave the Ice a chance to get on the scoreboard with the powerplay, but it was seen off by the Adrenaline. At the 13:37 mark Co Prevost did a sweet pass to Julian Friederich and the Adrenaline home crowd nearly raised the roof. The other assist was from Jake Riley. Ice’s Tyrone Bronte and Adrenaline’s Nathaniel Benson too offence to each other and roughing penalties were handed out at 4:52. Coy Prevost was judged for holding and the Ice had the powerplay, and with 21secs left in the period Tyrone Bronte levelled the score. Right on the horn Ice’s Johnny Aonso received a high-sticking penalty which would give the Adrenaline the powerplay in the 3rd period. Shots on goal for the period: Adrenaline 12, Ice 11.
The game was evenly poised with either the Ice showing why they were the 2025 champions with their depth of skill, or the upstart Adrenaline would create an upset. The Adrenaline were unable to make use of their powerplay and then Darcy Flanagan would head to the penalty box for boarding at 17:29. Two minutes late Ice’s Kolton Shindle would head there for hooking giving the Adrenaline the powerplay again and this time Julian Friederich, receiving another assist from Coy Prevost recording his 2nd goal of the game. The other assist came from Kolby Johnson. Darcy Flanagan and Ice’s captain Mackenzie Caruana got all tangled up and would receive roughing minors at 5:37. With the game winding down but still plenty of time left on the board the Ice could level the score and send the game into overtime or come over the top of the Adrenaline to steal the win. However, a puck spilling loose and a charging Kolby Johnson snatched it up and on a breakaway slotted it past Ice goaltender Ishida to give the Adrenaline a handy 2 goal lead. The assist was given to Marcel McGuinness. The Ice were finished though and Johnny Aonso would reduce the margin back to 1 goal with 55secs to play (assists Simon Despres and Tyrone Bronte). Controlling the puck drop would be crucial, and it was the Adrenaline that went away with a much deserving and grinding win. It would be the first time the Adrenaline had beaten the Ice since 2015! The highlights of the game were arguably Adrenaline goaltender Cale Dolan’s monster saves, especially the one sprawled on his back to extend the arm up and catch the puck heading for a sure goal (one for the highlight reel!). The Ice had battered Dolan with 18 shots in the last period, to the Adrenaline’s 8, and overall Dolan had faced 40 shots. The Ice would be smarting over this one and would be looking for blood on the Sunday’s game.
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