Perth Thunder (0-2-0) vs Newcastle North Stars (2-0-0)
Hunter Ice Skating Stadium – Newcastle – 15:00 WST
No online or radio feeds – @newnorthstars for game updates
Thunder kick-off their first away games this week, with games against the Newcastle North Stars and the Sydney Bears.
After the opening week losses to Melbourne Ice, Perth Thunder hopes to get some points up on the board and kick-start their 2013 campaign. If the main story lines of last weekend were the depleted line-up and questionable penalties, then this week will surely be all about ECHL all-star, Michael Forney, joining the Perth Thunder.
Michael touches down in Sydney on Thursday 3 May, and will meet with coach Stan Scott before the rest of the team arrives on the Friday. Michael, fresh off a successful season with the Colorado Eagles, is excited to be joining the team and can’t wait to see what Australian ice hockey is all about.
Also joining the squad for the first time this season is Andrew Cox, who has been representing New Zealand at the IIHF championships. After winning a silver medal in the Mens 2B Championship, Andrew is pumped to join the team for the rest of the AIHL season.
Coach Stan Scott has been debating a number of different line combinations and is revelling in the fact that the depth of the team will be significantly improved from this week forward. It is likely that Forney and fellow import Ken Rolph will team up on the first line, with captain Sam Wilson centering line two.
Defensemen Ric Del Basso and Brad Young showed great chemistry in the opening round and will likely to continue as a top 4 defensive pairing for the Thunder. Young, a forward in the 2012 season, is adjusting well to the change of role and enjoying the extra ice time that he is afforded on the blue line.
At the other end of the ice, the North Stars look to continue their strong opening to the 2013 season. Their last game against the Sydney Bears was a good old fashion defensive battle, with the North Stars eventually winning 2-1. As a true show of depth, this was the first game in recent memory where an import was not responsible for either of the goals for the North Stars.