Selected photos from the Australian Womens Ice Hockey League (AWIHL) game between the Adelaide Rush and the Perth Inferno played on 9/11/2024 at the Ice Arena Adelaide. It would be the Rush’s season opener on home ice. After having returning imports Sierra Meroniuk and Maya Tupper, the Rush were able to add imports Jordan Kulbida and Aspen Cooper to the mix as well as ACT goaltender Emma Moonen. Claudia Tom had also come out of retirement to add her vast knowledge between the pipes to the team. Moonen would be the starting goaltender. Two Rush players were making the debut in the AWIHL, Cherie Reid and Anika Mojzisek, and also returning after many years was Taylor Botterill. The Inferno were sitting on top of the ladder and the had Sara Sammons, Elizabeth Scale and Michelle Clark-Crumpton, their main points scorers to stop.
The intensity was immediately apparent as the two sides tried to get the upper hand early, but it took until the 12:38 mark before a goal was registered. It would be Rush’s Jamie Lunn finding a way past Inferno’s goaltender Sasha King, after assists from Elana Holub and captain Natasha Farrier. Three minutes later Inferno’s Jaymie Mackenzie even the score, unassisted. Rush’s Taylor Botterill shoved the Inferno player out of the crease but earnt herself an interference penalty, but the Rush Penalty Kill unit saw off the penalty. Shots on goal had been a lot to say the least, 16-12 in favour of the Rush.
The second period mirrored the first except the Rush were able to put shot after shot on goal, but could not find a way past the Inferno goaltender, until Kulbida scored at the 9:37 mark. The assist came from Cooper. Kulibida would then fall foul of the referee for interference at 7:48, but again the Rush saw off the penalty. Inferno’s Georgia Mclellan was deemed for roughing at 6:40, as well as Rush’s Cooper for holding. The Inferno needed to put more shots on goal as the Rush were peppering the Inferno goal, or simply outplay the Rush defence and goaltender Moonen. This they did with a goal coming at 4:14 to tie the score at 2-all when Sammons scored (assists came from Clark-Crumpton and Sasha Irvine). Sammons would then add another at 2:35 after an assist from Charlize Novatsis to take the lead. With the Inferno now on a roll they would find the back of the net again at 1:53 when Clark-Crumpton got a goal herself. The assist came from Mackenzie. Shots on goal saw the Rush post 13 shots to 4 but could not find a way past goaltender King.
The 3rd period was tight and intense, resulting in Rush’s Kirsty Venus heading to the bench for a 2min tripping penalty. Inferno’s captain Scala also headed to the bench at 10:21 for a roughing penalty, but neither team was able to take advantage of the extra player. There was no change in the score until 5:37 when Rush’s Kulbida pulled one back to have the Rush trailing 3-4. Assists came from Cooper and Farrier. Rush’s Venus would receive another tripping violation at 2:54, and this time Inferno’s Sammons would score her hat trick goal to put the Inferno up by 2 goals late in the game. Assists came from Isla Malcolm and Mclellan. That would be the final goal, and shots on goal saw the Rush pepper the goal with 18 shots for little gain against the Inferno’s paltry 3 shots!
