Brave Run Continues in Round 16

A Brave run continues in Round 16. Canberra Brave completed a perfect weekend against the Central Coast Rhinos, recording identical 6-3 victories in their back-to-back AIHL clashes on Saturday 1 August at Erina Ice Arena and Sunday 2 August at the AIS Arena in Canberra.

The two wins lifted the Brave into the top three on the AIHL ladder, strengthening their position in the postseason race, while the Rhinos remain in eighth heading into the closing rounds of the regular season.

Game 1: Saturday Evening

Saturday’s contest featured several interruptions, with repeated stoppages due to dislodged goal nets and loose ice that required attention from arena staff, disrupting the flow of play throughout the game.

Canberra’s Bray Crowder opened up the scoring of the weekend, splitting the defence to fire a puck past Rhino’s goaltender Anand Oberoi.

The Central Coast responded through Raphael Bastille and Mackenzie Bolger, who each found the back of the net to beat Brave goaltender Alexandre Tetreault and give the Rhinos a goal lead heading into the first intermission.

Second Period

The Brave responded strongly in the second period, finding another gear as Spencer Cox unleashed a long-range shot to level the scores before Jake Ratcliffe struck moments later to restore Canberra’s advantage at 3-2.

The Rhinos threatened to equalise midway through the period when Tetreault ventured well out of his crease to play the puck, leaving the net exposed. However, Canberra’s defence remained composed, racing back to clear the danger and deny the Rhinos a golden scoring opportunity.

Jake Ratcliffe came close to extending Canberra’s lead, but Rhinos’ defenceman Robert Malloy threw himself in front of the shot to make a crucial block. The Brave maintained the pressure, however, and Bray Crowder capitalised seconds later, firing through heavy traffic to reward Canberra’s relentless attacking play.

Canberra extended its lead late in the period when Justin Maylan found himself unchecked in front of the goal, slipping the puck beyond Oberoi to give the Brave a 5-2 advantage.

Canberra made an attempt to add another goal to the scoresheet before the second intermission, but the effort was waved off after officials ruled the net had been dislodged before the puck crossed the goal line.

Third Period

Canberra carried that momentum into the final period, with Jacob Carey backhanding the puck past Oberoi to stretch the lead to four goals. The Rhinos found a late consolation through a third-period strike, but it proved little more than a footnote as the Brave skated away with a 6-3 victory on night one.

Game 2: Sunday Arvo

Canberra Brave team photo with 2014 inspired jerseys for Retro Round. Photo by: Rachel Debels.

Sunday’s clash was a more physical affair, with 12 different players finding themselves in the penalty box throughout the contest.

Canberra’s special teams proved decisive, converting three of their power-play opportunities, including the opening goal of the night from Dominic Canic. The Rhinos were only able to capitalise on one of their own power-play chances as the Brave maintained control of the momentum.

Scott Clemie extended the Brave’s lead midway through the opening period, firing a shot through traffic that found its way past Oberoi and into the back of the net to make it 2-0.

The Rhinos responded minutes later, with Danick Bouchard sending a shot through traffic of his own to beat goaltender Joel Hasselman and put the Central Coast on the scoresheet for the first time on night two.

The momentum quickly shifted, with Mackenzie Bolger finding the back of the net just seconds later to cut Canberra’s lead to 2-2.

Moments before heading into the first intermission, Casey Kubara restored Canberra’s advantage, finding the puck in the back of Oberoi’s net to give the Brave a 3-2 lead.

Second Period

Peter Bates continued Canberra’s momentum into the second period, working his way past two Rhinos defenders before deking out Oberoi to extend the Brave’s lead and give them a two-goal cushion.

Crisp passing on the power play opened up the Rhinos’ defence, allowing Jacob Carey to finish the play and extend the Brave’s advantage before the third period.

Third Period

Both sides traded goals in the final period, with Tyler Kubara striking for the Rhinos before Jake Ratcliffe responded for the Brave to close out another 6-3 victory.

A call against Rhinos’ Sam Sywak for delay of game was met with frustration from the bench, but tensions boiled over when the team’s response to the referees resulted in Sangho Bae being sent off and the head coach Ron Kuprowsky narrowly avoiding the same fate.

Wrap up

The weekend sweep moves Canberra into third place on the AIHL ladder as they build momentum heading into the final stages of the regular season.

The Rhinos remain in eighth and will look to respond as they search for consistency during the closing rounds.

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