Perth Thunder (2-4-0-0 6 PTS) vs Sydney Ice Dogs (4-1-1-1 15 PTS)

Perth Ice Arena – Malaga – 4:30PM

Follow @Perththunder for all game updates

Perth Thunder returns home for only their second home-game weekend of the 2013 AIHL Season.

In 2012, the Thunder went 1-7 in the opening eight games of the season. With wins this weekend, the team has a chance to build to a 4-4 record and start challenging for a top four position on the ATC Productions Ladder.

When the Thunder opened the season at home nearly a month ago, the team had a very different composition than it does now. The expectation throughout the organisation was that the opening few rounds would be a tough grind for the team, especially when opening the season with back-to-back games against the 2012 champions, Melbourne Ice.

While the Thunder might still sit at the bottom of the ladder, most people around the league view this team as a legitimate threat and this is the weekend that Thunder has to start showing it. As Stan Scott said following last weekend’s defeat at the hands of the Ice Dogs:

‘there are no more excuses’.

Speaking with Stan Scott in the lead up before the game: ‘The Ice Dogs are always a challenge. They’re a well-balanced team with a great work effort.’

‘I’m keeping an eye on Anthony Wilson. He’s a fantastic local player and one of the best defensemen in the competition. Couple him with [goaltender] Kimlin and it makes the Ice Dogs a tough team to score on’ said Scott, when quizzed about some of the key Ice Dogs players to watch.

Scott didn’t appear to be overly concerned during the team’s final practice of the week. ‘The new guys are really looking to turn it up this weekend. [Michael] Forney wants to put on a show in front of the home crowd and I think that [Matt] Strueby is going to bounce back now that he’s had a chance to get some rest and acclimatise’.

The Thunder is still trying to find an identity, after having to change from a defensive system, to a run-and-gun style of play as different players have rotated through the squad. With the full roster set to take the ice this weekend, we asked the coach which team we’re likely to see.

‘Definitely an offensive team. With the speed and skill we have on the top lines, you would be silly to not let them loose. You’ll see a very hard fore-checking team this weekend and we’ll be looking to create lots of opportunities in their zone’.

New imports, Michael Forney, Joe Tolles and Matt Strueby hit the ice for the first time in Perth. All three players looked great last weekend and will really give the Ice Dogs a test this weekend. Brad Young is back after his suspension and Andrew Cox stepping out onto home ice for the first time this season.

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We asked Andrew if he was looking forward to playing at home again:

‘Definitely. The home crowd is really great and when you hear the fans cheering you on, it really gets your adrenaline pumping. After two away weekends in away, it’s great to get home and have our fans showing a lot of support.’

Andrew has 1 point over the last four games for the Thunder. When quizzed about his scoring, Cox said ‘You know, my role on this team is a little different this year. We have so much talent up front, that my focus is really more on checking hard and keeping the puck out of our net.’

Who is Andrew keeping his eye on ‘The Stephenson Brothers [Scott and Alec] are great local players and always give me a challenge. I like playing against Billy [Cliff] too, but we won’t see him until Sunday.’

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The Ice Dogs travel to Perth this weekend and will be looking to repeat the result they had last weekend when Anthony Kimlin recorded his first shutout of the 2013 season. The team will be without Billy Cliff for the first game against the Thunder this weekend as he serves his one-game suspension for fighting.

Matt Puntereri and Simon Barg have been impressive for the Ice Dogs this season and lead the team with a combined 25 points. They were the sole goal scorers in last weeks win over the Thunder.

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The game starts at 4:30PM (WST). Click here to buy your tickets.

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Tune in at approximately 5:20PM to hear both player and coach talk about the team and the prospects for the 2013 season.

A video link to the segment will be posted following the aired feature.

GO THUNDER!

He wouldn’t tell us his name or how he got his hands on all the official Perth Thunder gear. All he would reveal is that he traveled a great distance to be here and may, or may not be, a distant relative of everyone’s favourite Norse God.

So we’re turning to the fans for help! Seeing as our mascot won’t tell us his name, we need all of our fantastic fans to come up with some ideas. There will be a ballot box at the games this weekend and we want you to vote for your favourite name!

We also noticed that this guys a bit camera-happy and wouldn’t stop posing for our photographer, so if you see him wandering about the rink on game days, don’t be afraid to stop him for a photo. You know it will be a great shot as he’s always smiling! You can even post it on our Facebook page!

Before he left, we did hear him say something ‘GO THUNDER GO!’

We couldn’t pry the stick from his hands!

At times, he would just break out some dance moves….this guy is crazy!

Every time someone said ‘Perth Thunder’ he’d start fist pumping more than Paully D!

….and he can skate like the wind! Watch out boys!

He loves a good hockey fight, but Smarty wouldn’t drop the gloves!

He wouldn’t leave the players alone, Nottle is still trying to figure out who his new team-mate is!

Ric wanted to see what this guy was made of!

© Photos: Paul Kelly – Shutter Speed Designs

The Coolest Party in Perth is at Perth Ice Arena this weekend, where your Perth Thunder take on the Sydney Ice Dogs!

Come down and watch all the action as your favourite players dish out the big hits, score some huge goals and show the rest of Australia how we do it in The West!

For the first time, ECHL All-Star Michael Forney will take the ice in front of the home crowd as he looks to keep racking up the points. Flanked by Joe Tolles and Matt Strueby, it’s going to be quite a show!

The fun doesn’t end there! We have Fox Sports Australia filming the AIHL ‘Game Of The Week’, and we want our fans to show them just how loud they can get!

And to make sure that you’re always entertained, we have the Red Bull Wings Team taking over the pre-game fun outside. With live music and giveaways, it’s the only place to be this weekend. The fun doesn’t end there, but we’ll save a few more surprises for later in the week!

The action entertainment kicks off from 3:30PM at Perth Ice Arena, with the game starting at 4:30PM. Tickets are going fast, so get in quick!

Link to Tickets – http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=44401

GO THUNDER!

Michael Forney is featured in the weekly Perth Thunder interview on Perth SportFM 91.3.  Click the link below to listen to the recorded interview.

http://www.sportfm.com.au/20130521_michael_forney.mp3

When I started to build this team, it’s no secret that I wanted a team that could score goals. On Saturday’s game against the Ice Dogs, we finally had a full squad and a team that could score goals, but we drew a blank. We outshot the Ice Dogs 29-20, but Anthony Kimlin was strong in net and we failed to bury a number of key chances. We need to get better at finding opportunities and finishing plays.

All said and done, I think we played a good game. The team was ticking and sometimes you just don’t get the bounces, especially when you come up against a goaltender in the zone. On Sunday’s game against the Bears the team really played how I knew they could. We went down two goals early in the game and the boys showed a lot of character to come back and win it. We dominated a lot of the play, but we still struggled to finish plays and hit more posts than a fencing contractor.

Michael Forney put on a skills class and I was encouraged by the play of each of our imports. The local players lifted with the imports and the team really battled hard to grind out a win against the talented Bears.

I know that if we can keep playing at this level, the results will take care of themselves. It’s been a tough trip to Sydney – capped off with a 3-hour delay on our flight home – but it has really bought the team together and the players are starting to click.

At the end of the day, its important to remember that last season the team went 1-7 in the opening eight games, and this season we are 2-4 after six games, the last four of which have been on the road.

We return to Perth Ice Arena this weekend and I’m looking forward to seeing the full squad on home ice. The game plan won’t change too much as its important to believe in the systems we have implemented and maintain our structure. I have a lot of faith in this team and the players and I think we’re ready to really attack the rest of the season.

Stan Scott
Head Coach
Perth Thunder

Baulkham Hills, NSW – You could forgive fans for thinking it was Groundhog Day, when for the second time in a row, the Thunder strolled in the Bear’s lair after a loss and stole three points.

The last time we recapped a win over the Bears, the feeling was jubilant relief. The Thunder finally had their first win of the season, the duck was off their back and it was on to bigger and better things. This time, it still feels great, but with the taste of victory comes a hunger for more.

After the tough loss to the Ice Dogs the night before, the Thunder, who were scoreless in that game, were eager to create more offense and get pucks on net. As the game opened, it was clear just how evenly matched these sides are, with both teams trading chances early.

With less than four minutes played in the 1st period, the Thunder drew a penalty and were on the Powerplay, when Bears import, Thomas Landa (33), got a stick on the puck and was able to score a shorthanded goal. For a team hoping to generate a lot more offense, it was not the start they were looking for.

The period continued at a fast pace and by the end, both teams had combined for 19 shots on goal; more than double what the Thunder had generated in the previous game. Both teams were assessed two minor penalties, the only result being Landa’s shorthanded goal.

The second period opened and again the Thunder conceded a quick goal, with Vlad Rubes (20) scoring just 8 seconds into the period. These early period goals have become something of a trademark for the Thunder this season and something that Coach Scott needs to address. The rest of the period would see both teams trading chances and Thunder putting up 17 shots. Kazanovs looked great in net and was keeping the Bears lead intact until Jonathon Bremner (16) was finally able to snipe one past the keeper with less than four minutes remaining in the period. A great feed from Forney (7) was all Bremner needed to tally his fourth goal in two games against the Bears.

Still down 2-1, the Thunder didn’t stop pushing and with only 8 seconds left in the period, Joe Tolles (27) threw a puck on net and beat Kazanovs. The import defenseman, in only his second AIHL game, tied the game heading into the final period.

The Thunder were only assessed one minor penalty in the second period, and once again proved, that when playing a disciplined game, they are a tough side to stop.

The final term would be an important period of Hockey for Both Teams. The Thunder were chasing another three points to stay even with the bottom half of the Ladder, and the Bears were eager to improve on their two-game winning streak.

The third opened and the first minute was scoreless. It took until the second minute for the tie to be broken, and it was Thunder that would strike first. After a hooking minor to Rubes, the Thunder had a powerplay opportunity. Michael Forney, the much-hyped ECHL all-star received a great pass from Tolles and didn’t waste anytime filling the net. It was Forney’s first AIHL goal and his third point of the night, after picking up helpers on the two previous goals. The powerplay goal would lift the Thunder into their first lead of the game at 3-2.

The game was a stalemate in the six minutes that followed. Thunder didn’t slow and continued to throw pucks at Kazanovs. At the other end of the ice, the Bears were consistently finding scoring chances, and with a little over 12 minutes remaining in the period, Branden Stobbs (94) was able to find some space and score, tying the game at 3-3.

Over the course of the next 10 minutes, the teams traded penalties and you could sense the Bears becoming increasingly desperate as they tried to find the winning goal. After a check from behind, Landa, was given a minor penalty and misconduct, finishing his game for the night. The Thunder couldn’t convert on the powerplay opportunity.

Forney would strike again with only 1:44 left on the clock. His second goal and fourth point of the night would be the final nail in the bear’s coffin. Jordy Kyros (23) was assessed a roughing penalty following the goal, and in an attempt to tie the game, Kazanovs was pulled from goal, giving the Bears a 6-on-4 man advantage.

It wouldn’t be enough though, as Smart was able to hold the fort and steal the win for the Thunder.

In a game where both teams could have come out on top, Thunder managed to claw back from a 2-0 deficit and win. With the final shots being 25-41 in Thunder’s favour, it was obvious that Coach Scott had stressed the importance of offense.

Michael Smart continues to improve each game and the young goaltender shows a lot of promise. His SV% was 8.66 over the weekend, which is good enough to place him 4th best of goaltenders that have started at least four games this season.

Whilst Michael Forney’s impact was highlighted across the league with 2 goals and 2 assists, special mention must be given to Kenny Rolph, who quietly picked up four points, assisting on every Thunder goal. The 2012 AIHL MVP nominee continues to show great form and is proving to have some excellent chemistry with Forney.

Bremner, Forney and Rolph lead the team with 7 points each.

The Thunder returned home last night and are already preparing for the double header against the Ice Dogs this weekend at Perth Ice Arena.

© Photos: William Stewart

Perth Thunder (1-4-0 3PTS) vs Sydney Bears (3-4-0 9PTS)

Sydney Ice Arena – Baulkham Hills – 13:30 WST

No online or radio feeds – @sydneybears for game updates

Perth Thunder concludes the away game weekend with a match against the Sydney Bears.

After a hard fought battle against the Sydney Ice Dogs last night, the Thunder play the Sydney Bears today and hope to finish the weekend with another win against Bears.

The Bears, high off a win against the Canberra Knights yesterday, will look to continue their great start to the season. Yesterday’s win moved them up to fifth place on the ATC Productions Ladder and the team is knocking on a top four position. Bears Captain, Michael Schlamp, played a great game against the Knights, recording a hat-trick on the way to the 6-1 victory.

The Thunder are an interesting team to look at right now. The squad is significantly different from last year. On paper the team is a powerhouse, with three ECHL Players, a 2012 AIHL MVP nominee, 2 All-Australian players and an All-New Zealand Silver Medalist. While most fans would suggest that the team is weak on the blue line, it was the offense that struggled yesterday. Its still early in the season, but the team has to find some chemistry and soon. Coach Scott has all the squad he has been building for months, now its up to him to make it work.

After a great game against the Ice Dogs, Michael Smart will start in net for the Thunder. Joe Tolles looked excellent in his first game with the team and if he can stay out of the box, he’ll be able to create some real problems for the Bears forwards. Rookie, Fred Coutts, playing in his first away games in the AIHL, had some sheltered minutes during yesterday’s game, but he was solid in defense and he’ll be the player to watch as he develops and his minutes increase. Brad Young is out of the line-up due to his fight yesterday with Billy Cliff.

GO THUNDER

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Liverpool, NSW – In the first clash of the 2013 AIHL season between the Thunder and Ice Dogs, it was a good old fashion battle of goal-tending that would decide the game.

Back in Sydney for the second time in as many weeks, the Thunder traveled to the LCC Sports Complex to take on the Sydney Ice Dogs. Riding a two-game win streak and being led by an All-Australian goaltender, the Ice Dogs are legitimate challengers this season and continue to impress. For the first time this season, the Thunder boast a full roster, with the recent additions of imports Joe Tolles and Matt Strueby. With a full roster of imports and some great local talent, Coach Stan Scott was finally able to take advantage of the teams depth and balance the ice time between players.

The first period saw neither team giving an inch. Early chances to both teams had goaltenders, Smart and Kimlin, making big saves, with the blue line players for each team working hard to block shots and neutralize the opposing attackers. Both teams had two attempts on the powerplay, but neither could convert, on what would become a penalty-heavy game. Over the first 15 minutes of play, a total of only nine shots were taken and both teams went back to their respective locker rooms tied 0-0.

Tolles (27) looked strong on defense and his confidence controlling the puck and leading the breakout was evident. Forney (7) looked more comfortable leading the rushes in his third game with the Thunder. In an effort to stymie Forney’s speed, the Ice Dog’s strategy seemed to be leaving the neutral zone open and trying to stop the ECHL all-star as he would enter their zone, resembling a 1-2-2 trap system. It had the required effect, as Forney, along with the rest of the team would remain scoreless over the 50-minute game.

At the start of the second, both teams upped their tempo and it was clear that the game had transitioned into a more ‘run and gun’ style of play. A focus on offense meant that both teams saw odd man rushes and put the pressure on their goaltenders to come up big at important times.

Four minutes into the period, import player, Matt Puntureri, would score for the Ice Dogs. The even strength goal would be the only tally in the period, as Thunder continued to battle hard and lean on goaltender Michael Smart, who was playing his best game of the season between the pipes. The teams continued to swap penalties, with two minor penalties a piece, however neither team could convert. A late period misconduct to Tolles would see him leave the game for 10 minutes.

At the end of the second period, the game remained a tight battle, with both teams balancing their offensive and defensive efforts. While the Ice Dogs had managed to get a tally on the board, the Thunder players didn’t lose focus and continued to play a hard, fast game.

The game changed 53 seconds into the 3^rd Period. Canadian Import, Simon Barg, would score the first of two back-to-back goals to give the Ice Dogs a secure 3-0 lead. His second tally would come less than 3 minutes later. The period would become a battle of special teams as each team collected five minor penalties over the remainder for the final term.

With seven minutes remaining in the game, Brad Young and Billy Cliff dropped their gloves after taking simultaneous cross-checking and slashing minors. The vicious fight was the first for both players this season and they didn’t waste any time, swapping blows and spilling blood on the ice. As per IIHF rules, both players were ejected from the game and received 20-minute misconducts. Young will not play tomorrow.

The Thunder continued to push, but could not find a way past All-Australian goaltender Kimlin. A late breakaway by Forney was stopped, as were a number of other good opportunities. As the period came to a close, Kimlin recorded his first shutout of the 2013 season and lead the ice dogs to their third win in a row.

While the loss is disappointing for the players and fans, the Thunder can take away a few positives from the game. The undisciplined play of the team reduced their scoring chances, however as the penalties were fairly even (if high in number), it can’t be highlighted as the only reason for the loss.

At the end of the day, both goaltenders played excellent games, with Kimlin coming out just ahead of Smart. The team is still adjusting to the ever-changing roster, and once coach Stan Scott can find the right pairings, the chemistry will develop quickly. Coach Scott worked magic by juggling the lines two weeks ago to find the best defensive options for the team, now it seems he needs to work that same magic with the forwards.

The team remain in Sydney tonight and play the Sydney Bears tomorrow.

Chris Beaton gives us the wrap up of the Perth Thunder’s up coming weekend in Sydney against the Sydney Ice Dogs and the Sydney Bears.

Click the link for the full article: http://www.fyiw.net/articles/s_PerthThunder.html

COACH’S CORNER with Stan Scott

The Thunder embark on what will be a very big weekend in Sydney, as we take on the Ice Dogs and the Bears, both of whom have been playing extremely well. This will be the first time we have been able to put a full team on the ice this season, so it will be interesting to gauge how we play.

Defensive import, Joe Tolles, joined us during the week and with Michael Forney now over his jet-lag, he will really help at both ends of the rink. Joe had a chance to train with the team at both sessions this week and I was very encouraged by his skill and speed. Our final import, Matt Strueby, lands in Sydney this morning (Friday), and Michael and I flew over last night to meet him.  He may feel a tad jet-lagged, but I am sure he will strengthen the team.  He is a very solid player who played with Mike this year in Colorado.  He also did very well in the Western Hockey League (WHL), which is a very strong competition.

I have been building this team for more than six months now, and I am really looking forward to finally seeing the full squad on the ice this weekend. We had a bye last week, and while the rest was great for the team, they’re keen to play some hockey. There is a still a lot of work to be done, but we have to start to make our mark on the league table.  We have games in hand on other teams and a couple of wins would put us in a good position.

The general feeling in the camp is positive, and we know we can compete with any team in the league.  The Ice Dogs have had a great start and it should not be forgotten they made the top four the last three seasons. I think this will be a great game as they are very solid at home.  The Bears just beat the North Stars last weekend so they are flying high and won’t want to be beaten by us twice at home, but we are heading into this weekend with one thought, 6 points! Every team is competitive this season, but we don’t want to just be competitive, we want to win.

I hear there will be a live stream for tomorrow’s clash against the Ice Dogs. I hope all the fans are watching and cheering on the boys!

Stan Scott
Head Coach
Perth Thunder

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 2^nd 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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Belinda Cipriano speaks with the players about the 2013 AIHL season.

Perth, WA – Thunder’s latest import acquisition, Joe Tolles will be on 990AM tonight (15 May 2013) at 19:15.

Joe, a native of Toledo, Ohio, joins the Thunder after playing in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The 25 year old, 6Ft tall defender, most recently played for the Wheeling Nailers, an ECHL affiliate for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens of the NHL.

Joe is a welcome acquisition to the Perth Thunder’s blue line, as it has been an area for concern and discussion by fans over the first few weeks of the season. The a-typical ‘stay at home’ defensemen will add some much needed size and physicality to the defensive corps and should be a great compliment to fellow ECHL players, Michael Forney and Matt Strueby, who will be leading the offensive charge.

Joe is in Perth and will travel with the team to Sydney this Friday to take on the Ice Dogs and Sydney Bears.

Tune into 990AM tonight to hear from Joe.

Michael Forney is here, and he means business!

Perth, WA – After a crazy few days for the star import player, Michael Forney is finally settled in Perth and has had a chance to recharge his batteries. Within 48 hours of landing in Sydney two weeks ago, Forney had already had his first taste of AIHL action, playing away games with the Perth Thunder and coming away with a win and a loss. Not bad for a guy that just days earlier had finished up his ECHL season and also signed a contract with Villavich SV, of the Erste Bank Hockey League in Austria.

Michael touched down in Perth for the first time last Sunday night, following the teams first-of-the-season win over the Sydney Bears. Over the last week, Michael has had time to get comfortable with his new housemates, Kenny Rolph and Matt Strueby and finally get in some practice with the team at Perth Ice Arena, the home of Thunder Hockey (images below). It will be another two weeks until Forney finally gets to play in front of the home crowds, as another trip to Sydney is on the cards this weekend to take on the Ice Dogs and try and repeat against the Bears.

Perth Thunder will have a feature article all about Michael in the next official Perth Thunder Game Programme, which fans can purchase at next home games.

If you’re keen to see Michael, as well as Thunder’s newest imports, Matt Strueby and Joe Tolles, be sure to buy your tickets for the next home games on the 25th and 26th of May against the Ice Dogs.

© Photos: Paul Kelly – Shutter Speed Designs

The new Perth Thunder website launched on the 3rd of May 2013 and we have had some great feedback from our fans and sponsors on the new site and the content we are producing so that we can provide everyone with the best online resource possible.

For those fans that haven’t had a chance to really explore some of the great new site features, here’s a few tips to get you started and help you enjoy the new website each and every week.

Game Previews and Recaps

All game previews and recaps can be found via the game schedule page. Just click on the ‘Location’ link to see the preview and the ‘Media’ link to see the game recap. This is a great feature if fans want to go back and find articles later in the season. Game previews will generally be available 24 hours prior to the game and the recaps within 24 hours of the game being played.

Updated 2013 Player Profiles

Every Thunder player has been interviewed and has a consistent, easy to read profile that provides the fans with insights into every player on the team. Check them out!

Fan Polls

Every week, Perth Thunder will introduce a new poll that fans can vote on. A variety of topics will be highlighted, including – potential strategies, game predictions, player votes and site improvements. Make sure you keep an eye out each week for the new poll.

The Video Wall

Want to watch all the latest highlights from the 2013 season? Well you don’t have far to travel. One of the coolest features of the new site is our brand new ‘Video Wall’. Sitting front and centre on the homepage, fans can instantly access their favourite clips and play them without having to leave the page! All the Thunder action you can handle, all season long!

Three ‘News’ Categories

We want to keep your experience at perththunder.com.au as simple as possible. So this year, we have three categories for ‘news’ that include:

• - Coach’s Reports – Weekly insights from Coach Stan Scott.
• - Game Reports – Read our recaps after each home and away game of the season
• - Press – Browse all the Perth Thunder press and media coverage for the 2013 season.

And of course, we will highlight the most important news stories on our homepage to make sure that you never miss the latest from Perth Thunder HQ!

We plan to continually evolve and improve the site to create the best online experience for the Thunder Fans! If you have any suggestions, please send them through to info@perththunder.com.au

http://www.shutterspeeddesigns.com/perth-thunder-2013

All images are provided courtesy of Perth Thunder sponsor and official team photographer and designer, Shutter Speed Designs.

Full resolution images are available to purchase.

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© Photos: Paul Kelly – Shutter Speed Designs

Ric Del Basso is featured in the weekly Perth Thunder interview on Perth SportFM 91.3.  Click the link below to listen to the recorded interview.

http://www.sportfm.com.au/20130507_rick_del_basso.mp3

Clarissa Phillips interviews Stan Scott and various Perth Thunder players, while providing an introduction to the team and the 2013 AIHL Season.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/video/watch/cc4c4694-8bc2-3105-9437-00c140253777/taking-to-the-ice/

Watch all the action of the Perth Thunder v Newcastle North Stars game. While the result wasn’t a great one for the Thunder, it’s great to see our team and the players get national exposure.

The episode can be viewed on Foxtel channel 502 (Fox Sports 2) from 10AM on the 9th of May 2013. It is only available to Foxtel Sports Package Subscribers.

Thunder GM/Coach Stan Scott recruited aggressively over the break.

He had a few top signings slip through his fingers, but scored a winner with ECHL All-Star Michael Forney.

To read the rest of the story, click the link below:

http://www.hockeywise.com.au/analysis/the-forney-effect/

To read the rest of the story, click the link below:

http://hewittsports.com/perth-thunder-5-2-bears/

COACH’S CORNER with Stan Scott

The road trip to the NSW was certainly a long one for me, starting with the red eye flight on Wednesday so I could greet Michael Forney at the airport early Thursday morning.

The team arrived in Sydney on Friday, and after the long bus ride, we finally arrived in Newcastle feeling quite buoyant and confident that our preparation for the upcoming games would pay dividends. Michael was gelling well with the players and the general feeling was that we could compete with the North Stars.

I think the 13-2 score line suggests that we were not ready for that game.  I am pretty sure most of our players were still on Perth time.  We all have accountability for that very heavy loss, including myself.  We are still playing two imports short but they will be here for the next games.

Newcastle was by far the better team on the night, but we needed some accountability for letting them play so well.  39 shots for 13 goals are not the type of stats that any goaltender hopes for, but our defence were not giving much protection, and our forwards were not pressuring the outlet passes, which led to lots of breakaways and scoring chances for the North Stars. Again, we had 11 penalties (10 minors and one 10-minute misconduct), which never helps when you play a significant portion of the game a man short.

My overall view of Saturday night:

I thought we were like the Titanic. We looked great until we hit the ice!

Sunday morning came, and again, the boys were back on the bus for the three-hour drive back to Sydney to face a rampant Sydney Bears, who had defeated the Canberra Knights 6-1 the night before.

With Bremner and Del Basso only a 50/50 chance of playing, my main focus was how I could change the lines to stop the defensive errors and still create some offence.  My decision to put Kenny Rolph and Sam Wilson on the blue line raised a few eyebrows, but if you really look at it, I thought it made perfect sense. We needed composure on the puck in our end, as well as speed and better passing to the forwards.  Kenny and Sam both ooze those qualities and they did a fantastic job along with Aaron Hoffman and Brad Young.

The dressing room talk before the game was not about the night before, rather it was about being accountable and about playing your role for the team in this game.

Having a solid puck moving defensemen allowed the forwards to do their job and really attack, and Michael Smart stood up in goal, playing a great game.  Michael Forney, who was still struggling with jetlag, was fantastic.  He put on a show of dazzling skills, drawing players to him then making precise passes to create scoring opportunities to those around him.

Jono Bremner proved he has natural scoring ability with a hat-trick against the top goalie in the league – that is some feat.  He also shrugged off his injury to put in a very solid defensive performance.

The Thunder have a week off now and our other two imports will arrive in that time, so we should be at full strength against the Ice Dogs which will be a very tough challenge.

Stan Scott
Head Coach
Perth Thunder

© Photo: Rev William A Stewart AAPS

Sydney, NSW – On a day where the Thunder could easily have continued their downward slide, the players responded, and took the fight to the Sydney Bears to achieve their first victory of the 2013 AIHL season.

When it comes to sports, a lot of people often say the second year is the hardest. Expectations are a lot higher, fans are far less forgiving, and you can no longer use the excuse ‘we’re new to all of this’.

Coach Stan Scott is all too aware of this, and after the first three games of the season resulted in losses, he could already feel the weight of those expectations bearing down on the team.

After yesterday’s game, injuries sustained by a number of key Thunder players, including defender Ric Del Basso, would leave Scott with some holes to fill. Making roster changes that some fans questioned as ‘crazy’, Scott moved import scorer, Ken Rolph, and captain, Sam Wilson, to the Blue Line. Scott’s trust in his team’s ability to play two-way hockey was a big factor in today’s win and shows that he has the full trust and support of his squad.

The Bears, hot off their first win of the season yesterday, started the game with confidence, with a couple of early shots testing Thunder goaltender, Smart, who would end the game with 28 saves from 30 shots. An early slashing call to Kyros had the Thunder on the backfoot, but they successfully killed the penalty and didn’t waste any time getting back into the game.

The Bears struck first, with Vlad Rubes scoring. Vlad scored a double in yesterday’s game and continued to show his offensive prowess for the Bears.

Halfway into the first period, Thunder found the twine for their first goal of the game. Import Sean Hamilton, a multi-goal scorer from last week’s game against Melbourne Ice, took a great pass from Forney to bury one behind Bears goaltender, Renars Kazanovs. Sam Wilson, playing defence, would start the play and earn a secondary assist on the goal.

Less than two minutes later, Bremner would score his first [of three] goals, for the Perth Thunder. Bremner, a recent ice hockey refugee after playing inline for years, has been touted as Thunder’s local breakout player for 2013, and he proved that today by netting his first AIHL hat-trick. Brad Young would assist on the play.

The Thunder gained momentum towards the end of the first period. The players confidence grew, as they tried to build on their first lead of the 2013 season. With only 2:22 left in the period, All-Australian player, Jordy Kyros, would net his first goal of the season, with Imports Rolph and Forney assisting.

Down 3-1 to start the 2^nd Period, the Bears didn’t waste anytime and appeared to have reduced the gap with a quick goal early in the period, before the goal was disallowed. The referees stated that this was due to a  ‘kicking motion’ on the play. It wouldn’t matter though, as moments later, Rubes (20) scored again for the Bears to reduce the gap to one goal.

For the remainder of the period, no team could tilt the ice and both goaltenders came up big for their teams. Smart, coming off the back of a disappointing performance against the North Stars in the previous game, was a revelation and looked composed and confident in net.  He was supported throughout the entire game by his team mates, and the more discipline Thunder players only took three penalties for the game (compared with 10 against the North Stars in the previous game).

The third period opened with neither team generating any decent chances and a number of players shooting high and wide. It wasn’t until halfway into the extended period that Bremner would find some space and score a huge goal to give the Thunder some breathing room. Starting the play with a turnover in the neutral, Bremner managed to get free of the Bears defenders and score on a breakaway.

Bremner would score again five minutes later from Ruck and Wilson to seal the Thunders win and claim his first hat-trick in the AIHL.

When asked about the game and his first hat-trick Bremner responded:

‘Obviously it’s a great feeling to get a win and be able to chip in with a few goals. I didn’t think there was much difference in my game tonight, but I was able to capitalize on the opportunities and bury the puck’.

And his favourite goal of the night?

‘It has to be my breakaway. I got clear of the Bears defender and pushed the puck from forehand to backhand and then high over the goalie to roof it. I’ll be re-living that one the whole flight home’.

Bremner now leads the team in points, with five (5). In 2012, Bremner had a total of two goals and one assist. When quizzed about his improved stats, Bremner said:

‘Its really just about confidence and getting more ice time this year. I’ve been training hard and showing the coach [Stan Scott] that I want to be out there’.

After tonight’s performance, we have no doubt will be seeing more and more of the young star!

The players return to Perth tonight and face the Ice Dogs in Liverpool in two weeks.

Paul Kelly

Perth Thunder (0-3-0) vs Sydney Bears (1-3-0)

Sydney Ice Arena – Baulkham Hills – 13:30 WST

No online or radio feeds – @sydneybears for game updates

Perth Thunder concludes the first away game weekend with a match against the Sydney Bears.

After the devastating 13-2 loss to the Newcastle North Stars, Perth Thunder heads southwards to Sydney Ice Arena to take on the Sydney Bears. The Bears, fresh off their first win of the season against the Canberra Knights yesterday, will be looking to continue their winning ways against the languishing Thunder.

Yesterday’s defeat raised a lot of questions about this years Thunder team. While the fans are confident that the duo of Michael Forney and Kenny Rolph can get the offense firing, questions remain about the teams depth at the back end. Ric Del Basso is the team’s most experienced Australian defenseman and will likely continue to be paired with Brad Young. While Young has a great physical presence on the ice, his transition from forward to defence this season is yet to show the rewards that Coach Stan Scott is looking for. On the second pairing, newcomers Aaron Hoffman and Cameron Walsh have good vision on the ice, but lack the size and physicality required at this level.

Perhaps the biggest concern going forward is the goalie tandem of Michael Smart and Ayden Millward. Smart, who played 15 game for the Sydney Bears last season, has let in 21 goals in three games and was pulled for back-up Millward in yesterday’s game. Millward in turn let in six goals and has yet to prove his ability at an AIHL level. Smart will most likely start today’s game, and after yesterday’s performance, he’ll have something to prove.

GO THUNDER

Newcastle, NSW – On an afternoon made to be remembered, the Perth Thunder hope instead that they can quickly forget.

The much anticipated arrival of ECHL all-star, Michael Forney, would soon be overshadowed, as the Newcastle North Stars showed that even the best can’t stop them, on the way to a huge 13-2 victory over the sophomore Perth Thunder squad.

Hunter Ice Skating Stadium played hosted to the game that left North Stars fans cheering for more and Thunder fans wincing from behind their computer screens and iPads as they awaited for the inevitable next goal.

The result left many fans wondering what went so wrong? This was supposed to be the comeback week. Forney had arrived, Coxy was back and Smart returned to his old stomping grounds.  But Thunder fans were stunned, as the North Stars lit up the scoreboard only 12 seconds into the game after a breakaway from North Stars import Dominic Osman. It would only get worse.

Osman would score again before the end of the 1^st period, with Upton and Starke adding two more goals to finish the period up 4-0.  The Perth Thunder looked lost in the opening term, as the North Stars used their speed and tape-to-tape passes to quickly build a lead. The North Stars puck possession time and effective trapping in the neutral zone managed to suffocate the Thunder breakout at every turn, leading to few scoring chances for the visiting team.

In his debut, Michael Forney played considerable minutes, as the fans would no doubt expect, but his arrival had been well publicized and the North Stars ensured that they always had two players restricting his movement and limiting his speed.

The 2^nd period opened with the Thunder bringing a more physical presence to the ice. Coach Scott definitely said something to wake the team up during the period break, as the both teams battled hard for the puck and some post-whistle scuffles lead to penalties being dished out to both sides.

A continuing and concerning trend is the undisciplined play of the Thunder. In yet another penalty heavy game, the Thunder found themselves shorthanded for an overwhelming 20 minutes of the game. Given the lack of defensive depth and the shortage of players for the traveling team, this type of undisciplined play cannot be afforded and if calmer heads do not start to prevail, this could be a long season for the Thunder.

The Thunder managed to limit the scoring opportunities for the first five minutes of the period, however Newcastle finally found some space and fired home two quick goals only 1min 9secs apart. With less than five minutes remaining in the period, the Thunder would finally get on the board, with import Kenny Rolph putting the puck in the back of the net. Forney would assist for his first point as a Thunder player.

Smart was pulled from goal less than 30 seconds later when the North Stars would make it 7-1, after a mishandled glove-save failed to stop yet another goal. Goaltender Ayden Millward would finish the period.

The North Stars continued the onslaught in the third period, finding the back of the net another six times, with five of those goals happening within 8 minutes. North Stars players Dave Upton (96) and Jeff Martens (10) would both tally hat-tricks, while Martens would add another four helpers to bring his points total to seven (7).

An obviously deflated Thunder team had no answer, yet the third line stalwarts of David Ruck and Liam Jeffries combined to give Thunder its second and last goal of the game. A tenacious Ruck found a space in the crease and netted the goal, with assists from Liam Jeffries and Brad Young.

For the Thunder, the game surely only raises more questions than it answers and a clearly disappointed Stan Scott had few words following the game.  ‘I hold everyone accountable.’ said the coach ‘The forwards, the defenders, the goaltenders and myself. We’re all accountable and we all have a responsibility to find that next level.’

It’s clear that this team has potential, but whether it can mould that potential into a legitimate threat is yet to be seen.

The Perth Thunder remains at the bottom of the AIHL ladder, with no wins and zero points. The team hopes to regroup for tomorrow’s bout against the Sydney Bears.

COACH’S CORNER with Stan Scott

I write this from Sydney, as I prepare for our upcoming away games against the Newcastle North Stars and Sydney Bears this weekend.

Flying out before the team, I had the chance to meet with new import player, Michael Forney, who arrived in Sydney on Thursday. After a leisurely day showing Michael around Sydney, we got down to talking about the AIHL over lunch and the ways in which we can take the Thunder to the next level, on and off the ice. It was very interesting to hear about Michael’s experience in the North American ice hockey system and about how the professional teams are run.

My first impression of Michael is that he is a very fit, professional athlete, with ambitions of a lifetime job in hockey. One of his biggest traits is his commitment. On Tuesday, Michael drove sixteen (16) hours back to his hometown of Thief River Falls, Minnesota; and then eight (8) hours later, boarded a plane for thirty-two (32) hours to Sydney, just so he could be here this weekend to play for the Perth Thunder. To see that type of commitment from a guy who has just signed a fantastic pro-contract next season in Europe and could have spent the next few months training and preparing is amazing. He committed to the Perth Thunder and not only is he here, but he can’t wait to hit the ice.

Over the next few months Michael will be able to discuss his experiences and answer many questions for fans and players, from being drafted to the NHL and signing pro-contracts and developing the sport he loves. We look forward to bringing you all the stories that Michael has.

This weekend we have two very hard games against the Newcastle North Stars (read the game preview here) then the Sydney Bears. We still only have two of our signed professional imports in the roster (being: Ken Rolph and Michael Forney) but we also have Andrew Cox back, which is a huge boost for the team. I’m looking forward to seeing how Andrew has developed after his very successful campaign at the IIHP 2B Championships with New Zealand. It is going to be tough, but we certainly have more offense than when we played the Melbourne Ice last week. We will have to play tight, man-on-man hockey for another week and really focus defensively against the North Stars, whom have a very skilled offensive lineup.

All tests aside the Thunder players have to dig deep this weekend. We can’t focus on who we don’t have available yet. The players on the ice need to be accountable, as do I as coach.

I’ll conclude with a fun piece of trivia. Michael was drafted in the third round of the NHL Draft, which is very high. At the time, his foot was in plaster and without injury he would have drafted higher. He broke his foot playing for team USA in a junior world championship, which they won. His line mate was Patrick Kane, who we all know is now a NHL superstar and Stanley Cup winner for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Stan Scott
Head Coach
Perth Thunder

Hunter Ice Skating Stadium – Newcastle – 15:00 WST

No online or radio feeds – @newnorthstars for game updates

The 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.

2012 Big Brother house mate, George Baramily, attended his first Perth Thunder game last weekend, and we invited him down to the ice to drop the puck before the game. George, a former mining electrician and property investor from Newman, WA, was an immediate hit when he entered the Big Brother house for the 2012 season. The first few weeks in the house revolved around a sub-plot where all the housemates had secrets that they couldn’t divulge. George’s happened to be that he was a multi-millionaire.

George was the fifth housemate to be evicted after 42 days in the Big Brother House. Since leaving the house, George has split his time between Perth and the Gold Coast, and jumped at the chance to see an ice hockey game in his home state of WA.

We hope to see you at another game soon George!

© Photo: Paul Kelly – Shutter Speed Designs