The CBR Brave are the 2022 Goodall Cup champions beating the Newcastle Northstars 3 goals to 2 in this afternoon’s Australian Ice Hockey League Grand Final at the O’Brien Icehouse in Melbourne.
The First Period had everything you would expect of clash between the top two teams in the League this year. The play was tough and fast, with no compromises given.
Newcastle had the early opportunities, with a period of sustained pressure in the fifth minute giving them multiple chances – but failing to yield any score for them.
The first score of the game went to the CBR Brave, with Centreman Joey Hughes battling hard at the front of the goal at forcing a shot past Newcastle Goaltender Charlie Smart to make it 1 goal to nil.
Just over a minute later the Brave doubled their lead when Wehebe Darge received a pass from Defenceman Mike Giorgi and made no mistake with his close-range shot.
The two teams went into the First Intermission with the score at 2 goals to nil.
It was the Northstars who came out firing in the Second Period – and they capitalised on their aggression when they drew a Power Play and made full use of the man-advantage as Francis Drolet slotted a shot past Brave Goalie Alex Tetreault.
Despite having played both Friday and Saturday, the Northstars rode a wave of noise from their fans in the Second Period – with the normally vociferous Brave fans seemingly holding their breath on every play.
Despite this, neither was able to add to their tally – and the score at the Second Intermission was two goals to one.
The Final Period was a tense and torrid affair, with the Brave pushing hard to increase their lead and the Northstars piling the pressure on the Brave and looking to score the tying goal.
It was the Brave who scored first in the Final Period, when League MVP and AIHL Local Player of the Year Casey Kubara accepted a pass from Wehebe Darge, paused and drove a short range shot past the Goaltender.
With time winding down, the Northstars pulled their Goaltender and drew a Power Play – working hard to exploit their man-advantage. As the time ran down, they did pull a goal back – with Robert Malloy adding to the Northstars tally – but it was too little, too late.
A final face-off at Centre Ice was all the time allowed – and the final siren sent both Brave players and fans into raptures.
The final score saw a three-goals-to-two win for the CBR Brave – making them the Australian Ice Hockey Champions for 2022.
In the 9-year history of the CBR Brave, they have never missed AIHL Finals. This is the second time they have won the Goodall Cup – and goes some way to erase the disappointment of their loss in 2019.
For the Players and the Fans, winning the championship is the ultimate. Brave Defenceman Toby Kubara – who plays in this team with his three brothers – summed it up perfectly: “It means everything to win it. With this group, these people, my brothers, with my whole family. As a team it means everything in the world. It is the most amazing feeling.”
By Scott Stevenson
