Some of the photos (1500 culled back to 420 keepers) from the Australian Ice Hockey League game between Adelaide Adrenaline and the Sydney Bears played on 22/04/2023 at the Ice Arena, Adelaide.  Starting off before the game, John Botterill was presented with a certificate by Glen Foll stating his induction into the Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.  It was the Adrenaline’s first home game, and against long time rivals, with both teams having started the AIHL (along with Canberra) way back in the early 2000’s.  Jeremy Friederich was the starting goaltender for the home side, with Dane Brumm in for the Bears.  The Adrenaline had imports Andrew Hamilton (from the Souris Elks in the THHL, Tiger Hills Hockey League in Canada, and whose dad had been an Edmonton Oiler player), Yu Kevin (Taiwan national player) and Darcy Walsh (junior and college player, last playing for North Dundas Sr Rockets in the EOSHL, Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League).  The Adrenaline would shock the visitors early running away to a 3-0 goal lead, when import Andrew Hamilton combined with Darcy Walsh for the first, then Walsh assisting again on the 2nd goal with Tyler Leeming scoring the goal while on a powerplay as Bears Shawn Rooke sat in the penalty box for cross-checking.  A few seconds later Bears Brian Funes was done for a delay of game.  The 3rd Adrenaline goal came at 10:38 left in the period when Zac Steele scored from a Steve Best assist.  It was now up to the Bears to fight back and with a long way to go in the game it was always possible.  and sure enough, the Bears struck back at 7:25 when Ace Cowans made use of a powerplay to score their first goal with the assists coming from Thomas Steven and Michael Schlamp.  Adrenaline’s Josh Bortignon was the player in the sin bin, for hooking.  Then with a bit over 2mins remaining in the period Bears Kenshin Tayashi would reduce the margin to one goal after an assist from Cowans.  The home crowd would be stunned with only 6secs after transpired when the Bears posted their 3rd goal nullifying all of the Adrenaline’s good early work.  The goal came from Steven, combining with Tayashi.  Shots on goal for the period saw Friederich facing 16 shots and Brumm facing 11.

Both teams ground away in the 2nd period with neither team finding a way forward until Adrenaline’s Zac Steele headed to the penalty box for a double minor (4mins) for high sticking with Michael Schlamp copping the stick.  Despite the high hit to the face, he was back up again in no time.  Adrenaline’s Bortignon then headed there too for tripping a short time later.  The Bears made short work with the 5-on-3 advantage, posting the go-ahead goal through captain Ryan Annesley with the assists coming from Schlamp and Cowans.  Two Sydney Bears players had penalties (Schlamp for tripping and Jeremy Bruecker for delay of game) but the Adrenaline were unable to score.  With just under 5mins remaining in the period Bears Lukas Vaic increased the margin to 2 goals, with the assists coming from Annesley and Scott Clemie.  Late in the period Adrenalines Steve Best had a penalty for slashing, and Bears Schlamp for tripping but the score did not change from 5-3.  Shots on goal for the period: Adrenaline 11, Bears 14.

The 3rd period started off with a slashing penalty to Adrenaline’s Nathaniel Benson at 18:32 but the Bears weren’t able to capitalise on the man advantage.  Eventually the Bears did find a way past netminder Friederich when Schlamp scored at 14:37 after an assist from Tyerell Clare.  The remainder of the period was a stalemate with neither team able to score, but there were plenty of penalties handed out, starting with Bears Rooke and Joey McDougall getting roughing and interference penalties at 6:03 left in the period.  Adrenaline’s Zac Steele would fall foul of the referees twice towards the end of the period at 4:21 and 1:34 for roughing and slashing, but the score would remain at 6-3 in favour of the Bears.  Shots on goal for the whole game were Bears 41 to the Adrenaline 28.