Perth Thunder (1-3-0 – 3PTS) vs Sydney Ice Dogs (3-2-1-1 – 12PTS)
LCC Sports Complex – Liverpool – 15:00 WST
Live Stream – http://www.livestream.com/idih
Follow updates on twitter @sydneyicedogs
After a bye-week, Perth Thunder is back on the road to Sydney to take on the Ice Dogs and the Bears this weekend.
The first stop is the LCC Sports Complex in Liverpool, where the team will face 2013 powerhouse, the Sydney Ice Dogs. Currently sitting 2nd on the AIHL ATC Productions Ladder, the Ice Dogs are a formidable team this season and look to be on par with Melbourne Ice and Newcastle North Stars when it comes to talent and determination.
The surprise player for 2013 is newly acquired import, Matt Puntureri. The 27 year old forward has 11pts in four games in his freshman AIHL campaign. The Ice Dogs are again backstopped by all-Australian goaltender, Anthony Kimlin, who continues to impress in 2013. With a record of 2-1 and a GAA of 2.40, Kimlin is the standout local player on the Ice Dogs roster and his performance last week against the Melbourne Ice only reinforces his value to this promising team.
Perth Thunder enters this game with a renewed confidence and swagger. They had their first win of the season against the Bears two weeks ago and now have a full roster of import and local players to compete with the rest of the league. Joining the team for the first time this weekend are players Joe Tolles and Matt Strueby. Both players join the team following successful seasons in the CHL and ECHL.
Tolles will bring much needed size and physicality to the blue line and coach Stan Scott is already impressed with the import, having had a chance to witness him training with the team this week.
Strueby is traveling from the US and will meet the team in Sydney. Another ECHL player, Strueby played 23 games with Michael Forney for the Colorado Eagles this season and Scott hopes that experience will ease the transition for Strueby. The 23-year-old Canadian will likely play on Forney’s wing and bolster the Thunder’s offense.
With the talented additions to the roster, and some well-deserved rest for Forney, the Perth Thunder finally looks to have the team that can carry them up the ladder and into the post-season. With players like Bremner finding the back of the net often, the depth of this team should allow Scott to roll three forward lines and balance the teams shift to maintain the up-tempo style of play that has become Thunder’s trademark.
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