It was the year 2011 when the landscape of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) changed in Melbourne. Australia’s sporting capital had a new rivalry.

For eight years prior the Melbourne Ice had a stranglehold on the Melbourne ice hockey community. That was until an orange wave became the annoying brother.

April 14, 2011, the AIHL season opener would see the Ice victorious 8-4 in the first instalment of the Melbourne Derby. From there a passion and rivalry grew.

Rink to Rink Passion

“The rivalry, the passion from both sides,” long-time Mustangs fan Brett Parker told Hockey Hype Australia.

“Especially in the more recent years, the fact that the games are close. Obviously, our blowouts one way in the beginning been blowouts last year the other way.

“But yeah, the fact that the games actually become competitive, and you know, sometimes on a knife’s edge.”

A multi-sport fan in Melbourne Brett understands the landscape and how much sports mean to the city of Melbourne.

With the Melbourne Derby now 13 years in, there is a sense of importance each time the fixture rolls around.

“It’s good, it brings obviously plenty of fans like you see tonight – it’s a sell out,” continued Parker at the most recent derby.

“I remember the cup final in 14 you couldn’t move in here. It was amazing. Just having that many people all here to watch hockey.

“Generally, when you bring people new to the game you bring them to a derby. Because you know you are going to get the atmosphere, you are going to get passion from both sides. It’s going to be loud.

“Cheering, heckling, glass banging – it’s, you know, it’s the game you bring people to, to show them the ice hockey experience.”

With so many highlights from derby games since 2011 there is one that immediately jumps out to Mustangs fans. The 2014 Goodall Cup Final.

And for Parker it is no different, however, a three year stretch of electric derby moments live long in the memory.

“Obviously [the] 14 Cup final,” said Parker with a smile.

“You know you can win 100 derbies, but if you don’t win them in the [grand final], you don’t beat them for a cup.

“Probably the ones from 16/17/18 where they were competitive. Probably pick any of them, they are all you know, they are all good games.

“But yeah, obviously the cup final.”

Bloodlines Bleed Orange

A supporter since the inception of the Mustangs, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lucan Shortis bleed orange at the local emergency department.

Sponsoring players from 2014 onwards, and travelling on regular away trips to support the club they love. When it comes to the derby it’s an extra special feeling.

“The passion, all the players know each other, they have all played with each other in juniors,” Shortis told Hockey Hype Australia.

“There is a lot of passion, there is a lot of anger, a lot of joy, friends on opposite sides going at it pretty hard. It’s hard to match.”

The derbies sell-out within days of going on sale, it’s a high demand fixture in Melbourne. The Mustangs fan base has continued to grow along with it.

It’s these derby moments that capture new fans to the sport – packed stands and electric atmosphere has them wanting more.

“I think showing that we can sell out this venue on a regular basis with derbies really shows that this is a must have ticket,” continued Shortis.

“And people know that if they are going to come to a random hockey game, they know that the derbies going to be the one with the big crowd and the big atmosphere.”

The 2014 Goodall Cup derby might be the low hanging fruit choice when it comes to favourite moments, it is however the biggest the AIHL has seen for the rivalry.

However, it was a landmark season for the Mustangs who won their first championship since joining the AIHL in 2011.

“Honestly, I’m going to say the 2014 Grand Final,” said Shortis.

“But very close second mid-season, we beat them 8-3 out of nowhere and that’s when we knew the Mustangs had arrived for real. That’s when we kicked their ass mid-season in 2014.

“We knew that we were good enough to win the cup and we were the better team in the city at the time.”

Stay tuned for more in a series looking at the Melbourne Derby in the Australian Ice Hockey League.