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Sydney Ice Dogs
The Sydney Ice Dogs (formally Western Sydney Ice Dogs) is an Australian semi-professional ice hockey team from Sydney. Formed in 2002, the Ice Dogs are a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The Ice Dogs are two time Goodall Cup champions.
Top level ice hockey in Western Sydney dates back to 1981. The Blacktown Flyers were a foundation member of the New South Wales Superleague (NSWSL), playing out of Blacktown Ice Arena. Following the closure of the Warringah Ice Skating Rink in the '90s, NSWSL powerhouse, Warringah Bombers relocated to Blacktown. Blacktown in-turn withdrew support for the Flyers and a semi-private owned team, the Blacktown Bullets, were founded and joined the league in place of the Flyers. In 1993 the NSWSL's collapsed and Blacktown joined the newly formed East Coast Super League (ECSL) in 1994 and competed in the ECSL until its own demise in 1999. The Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) started in 2000. The Bullets did not join the new league, so for the first time in nineteen years, Western Sydney did not have a representative team in the top level of Australian hockey. Western Sydney's next chance came in 2002 when the AIHL decided to expand the league from three to six teams.
The Sydney Ice Dogs was established in 2002 as the Western Sydney Ice Dogs and entered the AIHL for the 2002 season. The Ice Dogs joined the league along with fellow expansion teams, Melbourne Ice and Newcastle North Stars. The Ice Dogs were the second Sydney based franchise to join the league, following foundation team, the Sydney Bears. The team was assembled and funded by John Wilson, owner of the Blacktown Ice Arena, and his son Anthony Wilson. The geneses of the Ice Dogs team came from the former Blacktown Bullets. Chris Sekura was named inaugural Ice Dogs captain.
The Ice Dog's first AIHL season saw the team finish mid-table in third place, just missing out on the championship final match for the top two teams. Slovakian, Branislav Kronika, top scored for the Ice Dogs with twenty five points.
In 2003, the league introduced a new finals format that included the top four teams from the final league table, facing off in semi-finals and then the Goodall Cup final. The Ice Dogs reached the finals weekend in 2003 after finishing fourth in the regular season. They won their semi-final, defeating the league premiers, Adelaide Avalanche, 4–1. In the team's first appearance in the Goodall Cup final, the Ice Dogs were defeated by the Newcastle North Stars 1–4.
In 2004, the Ice Dogs went one better and claimed the AIHL championship and the Goodall Cup for the first time in the team's history. They matched-up against the dominant North Stars, who won all but one match in the regular season, in the final for the second season in a row but this time they defeated them 3–1.
October 2007, the Blacktown Ice Arena closed down leaving the Ice Dogs without a rink for the 2008 season. The Ice Dogs moved to Baulkham Hills and played out of the Sydney Ice Arena for one season as they looked for a new home. During 2008, the Ice Dogs finished the regular season runner-up and qualified for finals after missing out the year before. Western Sydney defeated the Melbourne Ice in the semi-finals in overtime before coming up against Newcastle for the third time in a Goodall Cup (championship) final. In a score line replicating the 2003 final, the North Stars ran out a 1–4 victory over the Ice Dogs thanks in large part to the individual exploits of Mickey Gilchrist.
In 2009, the Ice Dogs underwent a team re-brand, changing their name to the Sydney Ice Dogs, changing colours to teal, orange and white and updating their digital platforms. The Ice Dogs also moved to their new home in Liverpool at the Liverpool Catholic Club Ice Rink.
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Sydney Ice Dogs
The Sydney Ice Dogs (formally Western Sydney Ice Dogs) is an Australian semi-professional ice hockey team from Sydney. Formed in 2002, the Ice Dogs are a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The Ice Dogs are two time Goodall Cup champions.
Top level ice hockey in Western Sydney dates back to 1981. The Blacktown Flyers were a foundation member of the New South Wales Superleague (NSWSL), playing out of Blacktown Ice Arena. Following the closure of the Warringah Ice Skating Rink in the '90s, NSWSL powerhouse, Warringah Bombers relocated to Blacktown. Blacktown in-turn withdrew support for the Flyers and a semi-private owned team, the Blacktown Bullets, were founded and joined the league in place of the Flyers. In 1993 the NSWSL's collapsed and Blacktown joined the newly formed East Coast Super League (ECSL) in 1994 and competed in the ECSL until its own demise in 1999. The Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) started in 2000. The Bullets did not join the new league, so for the first time in nineteen years, Western Sydney did not have a representative team in the top level of Australian hockey. Western Sydney's next chance came in 2002 when the AIHL decided to expand the league from three to six teams.
The Sydney Ice Dogs was established in 2002 as the Western Sydney Ice Dogs and entered the AIHL for the 2002 season. The Ice Dogs joined the league along with fellow expansion teams, Melbourne Ice and Newcastle North Stars. The Ice Dogs were the second Sydney based franchise to join the league, following foundation team, the Sydney Bears. The team was assembled and funded by John Wilson, owner of the Blacktown Ice Arena, and his son Anthony Wilson. The geneses of the Ice Dogs team came from the former Blacktown Bullets. Chris Sekura was named inaugural Ice Dogs captain.
The Ice Dog's first AIHL season saw the team finish mid-table in third place, just missing out on the championship final match for the top two teams. Slovakian, Branislav Kronika, top scored for the Ice Dogs with twenty five points.
In 2003, the league introduced a new finals format that included the top four teams from the final league table, facing off in semi-finals and then the Goodall Cup final. The Ice Dogs reached the finals weekend in 2003 after finishing fourth in the regular season. They won their semi-final, defeating the league premiers, Adelaide Avalanche, 4–1. In the team's first appearance in the Goodall Cup final, the Ice Dogs were defeated by the Newcastle North Stars 1–4.
In 2004, the Ice Dogs went one better and claimed the AIHL championship and the Goodall Cup for the first time in the team's history. They matched-up against the dominant North Stars, who won all but one match in the regular season, in the final for the second season in a row but this time they defeated them 3–1.
October 2007, the Blacktown Ice Arena closed down leaving the Ice Dogs without a rink for the 2008 season. The Ice Dogs moved to Baulkham Hills and played out of the Sydney Ice Arena for one season as they looked for a new home. During 2008, the Ice Dogs finished the regular season runner-up and qualified for finals after missing out the year before. Western Sydney defeated the Melbourne Ice in the semi-finals in overtime before coming up against Newcastle for the third time in a Goodall Cup (championship) final. In a score line replicating the 2003 final, the North Stars ran out a 1–4 victory over the Ice Dogs thanks in large part to the individual exploits of Mickey Gilchrist.
In 2009, the Ice Dogs underwent a team re-brand, changing their name to the Sydney Ice Dogs, changing colours to teal, orange and white and updating their digital platforms. The Ice Dogs also moved to their new home in Liverpool at the Liverpool Catholic Club Ice Rink.