2020 AIHL season

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2020 AIHL season
League Australian Ice Hockey League
Sport Ice hockey
Duration 18 April 2020 – 23 August 2020 (cancelled)
AIHL seasons
← 2019
2021 →

The 2020 AIHL season was going to be the 21st season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It was originally scheduled to run from 18 April 2020 until 23 August 2020, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 29 August and 30 August 2020.[1] However, on 12 March 2020 the league announced the postponement of the 2020 season to a to be determined date due to COVID-19.[2] Then on 29 July 2020, the AIHL commission's return to play committee announced the official cancellation of the 2020 AIHL season due to July COVID outbreaks on the east coast as well as continued border closures for WA and SA.[3] This marks the first time that the Goodall Cup will not be awarded since 1993, when the competition was cancelled as a result of financial problems.

League business

On 11 February 2020, the AIHL announced the league would be adopting the international standard sixty minutes match length. Between 2013 and 2019 the AIHL ran fifty minute matches, while prior to that the league ran forty-five minute matches. The change increases the league's matches by ten minutes and standardises the period lengths to twenty minutes each. The change came into effect for the 2020 season.[4] On 12 March 2020, the CBR Brave announced they would be livestreaming all home matches at Phillip Ice Skating Centre for the 2020 season. A partnership with production company Wonqy would deliver the stream.[5] Later on 12 March 2020, AIHL commissioner, David Turik announced the 2020 season would be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The AIHL Commission held consultation with the teams and took medical advice from State and Federal Governments in coming to the decision. The Commission did not release a new proposed start date for the 2020 season but will meet regularly to discuss progress and determine if there is a time period for the season to be moved to.[2]

Exhibition games

On 7 January 2020, the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs co-announced the organisation of an exhibition charity match to be played between the two teams to raise money for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. The match was scheduled for 19 January 2020 at O’Brien Icehouse.[6] The Ice defeated the Mustangs 5–2 in the charity match with the event raising over $50,000.[7]

On 13 January 2020, it was announced that the South Australian ice hockey community, including the Adelaide Adrenaline, Adelaide Rush and Avalanche alumni had arranged for an exhibition charity match for 9 February 2020. The match was named The Bushfire Appeal Ice Hockey Classic with teams broken into ‘Locals’ and ‘Rest of the World’.[8] In front of a packed out IceArenA, the Locals came from 6-4 down in the second intermission to claim a 7-6 (OT) victory. The Locals won with a golden goal scored by Adelaide Rush player Tash Farrier in the 3v3 overtime period.[9] The event raised $23,951 with all money going to CFS Foundation and Kangaroo Island Mayoral Relief and Recovery Bushfire Fund to assist with the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island fire recovery effort.[10]

On 27 January 2020, the Sydney Ice Dogs and Sydney Bears announced they would hold a bushfire recovery appeal charity match between the two teams at Macquarie Ice Rink on 21 February 2020. All proceeds would go to the NSW Rural Fire Service and Australian Red Cross.[11] The Bears defeated the Ice Dogs 6–3 in the event.[12]

On 28 February 2020, Melbourne Mustangs announced the annual pre-season exhibition Melbourne derby involving the Mustangs and Ice would be held at the Icehouse on Saturday 4 April.[13] On 16 March 2020, the Ice and Mustangs officially cancelled their pre-season exhibition game due to COVID-19 and the postponement of the AIHL season.[14]

On 2 March 2020, Adelaide Adrenaline announced a pre-season exhibition match against a South Australian Select team for 21 March 2020 to be held at the Adelaide IceArenA.[15] On 15 March 2020, the Adrenaline officially cancelled their pre-season exhibition game due to COVID-19 and the postponement of the AIHL season.[16]

On 30 July 2020, one day after the cancellation of the 2020 AIHL season, the Newcastle Northstars and Sydney Ice Dogs announced the formation of the 2020 Hawkesbury Classic exhibition series between the two teams. The four match series was originally to be held at both the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium in Newcastle and Macquarie Ice Rink in Sydney between 2 August and 22 August 2020.[17] On 14 August 2020, it was revealed the series would be extended by three matches, creating a full seven match series.[18] Game One ended with the Ice Dogs claiming a 3–2 overtime victory to take a 1–0 lead in the series.[19] Game two saw the Ice Dogs double their lead in the series to 2–0 with a 3–2 overtime victory.[20] Game three was won by the Northstars in a 5–4 shootout victory, halving the Ice Dog's series lead to 2–1.[21]

Regular season

The regular season was scheduled to begin on 18 April 2020 and run through to 23 August 2020 before the top four teams advanced to compete in the Goodall Cup finals weekend.[22]

April

April fixtures and results
Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap
18 APR 17:00 Adelaide Adrenaline X–X Melbourne Ice O’Brien Icehouse TBA
18 APR 17:00 Newcastle Northstars X–X Sydney Bears Macquarie Ice Rink TBA
18 APR 17:00 Sydney Ice Dogs X–X CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre TBA
19 APR 14:00 Adelaide Adrenaline X–X Melbourne Mustangs O’Brien Icehouse TBA
25 APR 16:30 Melbourne Mustangs X–X Adelaide Adrenaline IceArena TBA
25 APR 17:00 Sydney Bears X–X Newcastle Northstars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium TBA
25 APR 17:00 CBR Brave X–X Melbourne Ice O’Brien Icehouse TBA
26 APR 14:00 CBR Brave X–X Melbourne Ice O’Brien Icehouse TBA
26 APR 16:30 Melbourne Mustangs X–X Adelaide Adrenaline IceArena TBA
26 APR 17:00 Newcastle Northstars X–X Sydney Ice Dogs Macquarie Ice Rink TBA

May

June

July

August

Goodall Cup playoffs

The 2020 finals weekend was scheduled to begin on 29 August with the Goodall Cup final held on 30 August.[22]

  Semi-finals Final
                 
1  
4  
     
   
2
3  

All times are UTC+10:00

Semi-finals

29 August 2020
15:00 		15:00
29 August 2020
19:00 		19:00


Final

30 August 2020


External links


Australian Ice Hockey League seasons
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  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named REGULARSEASONSCHED
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