Sydney Bears mid-season report card – Current rating: I am not in danger, I am the danger.

That quote, repurposed from Breaking Bad character Walter White, sums up the Bears’ campaign at the midway point of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) season.

There were a number of question marks around the team at the beginning of the campaign. How would Tyler Huberty, the new head coach, adapt to the league? Where would goals come from with the departure of Tommy Steven and Jake Ratcliffe to the capital? With Anthony Kimlin out to start the season, what would the goaltending look like?

Those questions have been answered in resounding fashion. The Bears finished last season with a points percentage of 76.9%. Under Huberty the team is collecting points at a 81.5% clip.

Special Teams is also receiving a huge boost. Last year, the Bears finished third last in the league in powerplay percentage at 21.6%. Only the Adelaide Adrenaline and Central Coast Rhinos were more inept with the man advantage.

Under Huberty the powerplay is the best in the league, converting at 33.33%, and the penalty kill has improved from 80.65% last season to 84.85% this season, second in the league. The Bears have the best combined special teams of 118.18%.

To the second question of scoring, the Bears have likewise answered that in resounding fashion. Leading the league with 5.778 goals per game, goals have come from familiar names, and some unfamiliar names.

Import Adam Kadlec leads the league and the team with 23 tallies, Brody Lindal has added 15, Lucas Herrmann 13, Christopher Eaden 11, and Noah Moncrieff has also added 11. Tomas Landa has added eight goals and Ryan Annesley has chipped in another six from the blueline.

Goals are coming from almost everywhere in the line-up. With another couple of imports on the way don’t expect the Bears to relinquish hold on best offense in the league.

Finally, goaltending. With James Downie and Kimlin injured, Dane Brumm got the Bears off to a good start, recording three wins in five appearances. Downie then started 10 games in a row, collecting nine wins. And since Kimlin’s return, the Bears have continued to roll, picking up two regulation wins and one overtime win.

Room for Improvement

Bears Head Coach Tyler Huberty has spoken in the past of the importance of defence. The Bears have the third stingiest defence in the league, conceding 3.167 goals per game.

That number has dipped below three previously, which is where Huberty would like it to stay. Giving up six goals in a 7-6 overtime thriller against the Ice pushed that number over three.

Without wanting to sound like Captain Obvious here, giving up six goals in a game isn’t a sustainable recipe for success. Giving up two shorthanded goals in a game is even less sustainable.

If the Bears can stay healthy and add a puck moving import on the blueline, this problem could fix itself.

Current Standings

The Bears are tied for top spot in the league in points, but the Melbourne Ice have a better points percentage as they hold a game in hand.

While the Rurak Conference holds greater intrigue as the top teams in the conference step on a series of rakes on the ground which perpetuate a Sideshow Bob-esque cycle of self-injury, the Hellyer Conference contains three teams in a tier of their own – the playoff race is virtually over, only the final positioning isn’t set.

While the AIHL is yet to release information on playoff format, one would assume that the top team in each conference will earn a bye for their efforts. The Bears will be happy to avoid playing three games in three days across the weekend. Every game between the Thunder, Ice, and Bears are true six point games in that context.

Key Performers so far

Ryan Annesley

Bears’ captain Ryan Annesley is the fulcrum of the team. Annesley leads all active defencemen in points with 24 in 13 games played. Annesley has been held off the scoresheet just twice this season, demonstrating the reliability he brings to the team.

Adding in his defensive acumen and ability to lead the breakout and quarterback the powerplay, there’s not much else you could wish for from a player.

Annesley recently made his 100th AIHL appearance, and will aim to lift his second career Goodall Cup at the end of the season.

James Downie

In his 10 starts so far this season, Downie has collected nine wins, and is currently on an eight game winning streak. Downie has been the best local goaltender this season, producing consistent quality starts.

With a save percentage of .913, and Goals Against Average (GAA) of 3.00, Downie has been a key part of the Bears position at the top of the standings. With nine wins, Downie leads local goaltenders in wins, ahead of Northstars netminder Charlie Smart with seven.

Downie also leads all goalies, including import tendies Tatsunoshin Ishida (Melbourne Ice) and Leo Bertein (Perth Thunder) in win percentage. With Kimlin and Downie, the Bears are stacked with local goaltending talent.

Adam Kadlec

He leads the league in goals with 23, eight tucks more than second-placed Scott Timmins. Kadlec also leads the league in points with 47, six points ahead of Timmins in second. Adam Kadlec has been dynamite for the Bears this season.

Kadlec has also been ultra-consistent, held off the scoresheet just once, and registering a single point game twice more. So he has collected points in 15/16 games played, and multiple point games in 13/16 games played. Ludicrous.

When Kadlec has been played with Herrmann and Eaden, the trio have dominated, and scored seemingly at will. The Bears took a gamble on Kadlec, who was looking to restart his career after a six year break due to injuries, and it has paid off handsomely.

Best win so far

It’s tempting to pick last Sunday’s 7-6 overtime thriller against the Melbourne Ice. However, the 4-2 win the day before against the Perth Thunder was a more complete performance.

The Bears had to battle history, as the Thunder were undefeated at Macquarie Ice Rink against the Bears since 2019. The last time the Bears won in regulation against Perth at Macquarie was July 2018.

An Adam Kadlec sharp-angled snipe inside the first minute got the team off to a good start. But the Bears fell behind 2-1 in the third period. The Bears didn’t panic and goals from Eaden, Herrmann, and Kadlec sealed the win.

It was the first win the Bears have earned this season while being outshot (39-36), and was Kimlin’s best game of the season. If you can hold a high-scoring team like the Perth Thunder to two goals, you’re doing a lot of things right.

Expectations for remainder of the season

If the Bears can stay healthy, and the incoming recruits can gel quickly, the H Newman Reid trophy as minor premiers is realistic. While the Ice have a game in hand, the Bears play the Ice twice more this season. Those matchups will likely determine who finishes first in the standings at the end of the regular season.

It’s not unrealistic to predict the goals against number will continue to drop. An additional import forward will also balance the scoring lines.

Simply put, the Bears are in a good place right now. They are not in danger, they are the danger.

For more stories, news and analysis from the AIHL, please check out Hockey Hype Australia’s AIHL News section.
For AIHL stats and standings, please visit AIHL official and Elite Prospects.