2015–16 AJIHL season
# 2015–16 AJIHL season

The 2015–16 AJIHL season is the fourth season of the Australian Junior Ice Hockey League. It ran from 29 October 2015 until 21 February 2016, with the finals running from 27 February 2016 until 28 February 2016. The AJIHL is the highest Australian national junior ice hockey competition.

## League business

Ice Hockey Australia made the announcement that the Australian Junior Ice Hockey League would be expanding in the 2015–16 season. It planned to include teams from Queensland, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory. This did not happen, however, and the league remains at 6 teams.

On 21 January it was announced that an "AJIHL Tier 2" tournament would take place, involving a state team representing Queensland, Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. This tournament gives one of these teams a chance to enter into the AJIHL finals as a wild card team. The team names are: Brisbane Blitz, Canberra Junior Brave and Adelaide Generals.

Tournament Format When ice time is available, the first 2 periods are 15 mins running time and the third period is stop time. These games are indicated on the schedule by having 1.5 hrs. The ice is to be resurfaced between the 2nd & 3rd period of each game. When a game cannot have the 3rd period as stop time, the last 5 mins of the 3rd period is stop time, these games are indicated by 1.0hr. Games that result in a tied score go straight to penalty shootout. Game points will be applied as follows: a) Win = 3 points b) Shootout win = 2 points c) Shootout loss = 1 point d) Tie = 1 point e) Loss = 0 points The top 2 teams at the end of the round robin will play a final with the winning team receiving the wild card entry into the AJIHL finals.

The tournament is held in Phillip Ice Skating Centre.

## Regular season

The regular season will begin on 29 October 2015 and ran through to 21 February 2015 before the teams compete in the playoff series.

### October

| Game | Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location | Attendance | Recap |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 29 October 2015 | 20:00 | Melbourne Whalers | 4 – 3 (SO) | Melbourne Glaciers | Melbourne | - | |
| 2 | 31 October 2015 | 18:15 | Sydney Wolf Pack | 4 - 2 | Sydney Sabres | Penrith | - | |

### November

| Game | Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 1 November 2015 | 17:00 | Sydney Sabres | 2 - 3 | Sydney Wolf Pack | Penrith | - |
| 4 | 1 November 2015 | 18:45 | Perth Pelicans | 4 - 1 | Perth Sharks | Mirrabooka | - |
| 5 | 5 November 2015 | 20:00 | Melbourne Glaciers | 5 - 2 | Melbourne Whalers | Melbourne | - |
| 6 | 7 November 2015 | 13:15 | Sydney Wolf Pack | 6 - 2 | Melbourne Whalers | Melbourne | - |
| 7 | 7 November 2015 | 15:00 | Sydney Sabres | 1 - 5 | Melbourne Glaciers | Melbourne | - |
| 8 | 7 November 2015 | 18:30 | Perth Sharks | 3 - 2 (SO) | Perth Pelicans | Mirrabooka | - |
| 9 | 8 November 2015 | 15:30 | Sydney Sabres | 3 - 0 | Melbourne Whalers | Melbourne | - |
| 10 | 8 November 2015 | 17:15 | Sydney Wolf Pack | 1 - 5 | Melbourne Glaciers | Melbourne | - |
| 11 | 14 November 2015 | 18:30 | Perth Pelicans | 3 - 1 | Perth Sharks | Mirrabooka | - |
| 12 | 15 November 2015 | 20:00 | Sydney Wolf Pack | 1 - 5 | Sydney Sabres | Penrith | - |
| 13 | 21 November 2015 | 18:30 | Perth Sharks | 4 - 2 | Perth Pelicans | Mirrabooka | - |
| 14 | 28 November 2015 | 15:45 | Melbourne Glaciers | 7 - 2 | Melbourne Whalers | Melbourne | - |
| 15 | 29 November 2015 | 18:00 | Perth Pelicans | 5 - 4 | Perth Sharks | Mirrabooka | - |

### December

| Game | Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 16 | 5 December 2015 | 18:15 | Perth Pelicans | 3 - 6 | Sydney Sabres | Penrith | - |
| 17 | 5 December 2015 | 18:00 | Perth Sharks | 5 - 1 | Melbourne Whalers | Melbourne | - |
| 18 | 6 December 2015 | 08:30 | Perth Pelicans | 4 - 5 | Sydney Wolf Pack | Penrith | - |
| 19 | 6 December 2015 | 15:00 | Perth Sharks | 1 - 3 | Melbourne Glaciers | Melbourne | - |
| 20 | 12 December 2015 | 16:30 | Melbourne Glaciers | 3 - 2 | Perth Pelicans | Mirrabooka | - |
| 21 | 12 December 2015 | 18:00 | Melbourne Whalers | 2 - 4 | Perth Sharks | Mirrabooka | - |
| 22 | 13 December 2015 | 11:45 | Melbourne Whalers | 1 - 5 | Perth Pelicans | Mirrabooka | - |
| 23 | 13 December 2015 | 10:00 | Melbourne Glaciers | 4 - 1 | Perth Sharks | Mirrabooka | - |
| 24 | 13 December 2015 | 19:30 | Sydney Sabres | 3 - 4 | Sydney Wolf Pack | Penrith | - |
| 25 | 19 December 2015 | 13:15 | Melbourne Glaciers | 4 - 2 | Melbourne Whalers | Melbourne | - |

### January

| Game | Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 26 | 22 January 2016 | 9:30 | Melbourne Whalers | 0 - 4 | Melbourne Glaciers | Melbourne | - |
| 27 | 28 January 2016 | 20:00 | Melbourne Glaciers | 6 - 0 | Melbourne Whalers | Melbourne | - |
| 28 | 29 January 2016 | 19:45 | Perth Sharks | 3 - 4 (SO) | Perth Pelicans | Cockburn Ice Arena | - |
| 29 | 30 January 2016 | 17:00 | Sydney Sabres | 4 - 2 | Sydney Wolf Pack | Penrith | - |
| 30 | 31 January 2016 | 09:00 | Sydney Wolf Pack | 1 - 2 | Sydney Sabres | Penrith | - |

### February

| Game | Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 31 | 6 February 2016 | 4:30 | Sydney Wolf Pack | 4 - 3 (SO) | Perth Sharks | Mirrabooka | - |
| 32 | 6 February 2016 | 18:15 | Sydney Sabres | 5 - 1 | Perth Pelicans | Mirrabooka | - |
| 33 | 7 February 2016 | 9:00 | Sydney Wolf Pack | 6 - 1 | Perth Pelicans | Cockburn Ice Arena | - |
| 34 | 7 February 2016 | 10:45 | Sydney Sabres | 3 - 0 | Perth Sharks | Cockburn Ice Arena | - |
| 35 | 12 February 2016 | 19:45 | Perth Pelicans | 5 - 2 | Perth Sharks | Cockburn Ice Arena | - |
| 36 | 13 February 2016 | 17:00 | Melbourne Whalers | 0 - 6 | Sydney Wolf Pack | Penrith | - |
| 37 | 13 February 2016 | 18:45 | Melbourne Glaciers | 5 - 6 (SO) | Sydney Sabres | Penrith | - |
| 38 | 14 February 2016 | 8:30 | Melbourne Whalers | 0 - 4 | Sydney Sabres | Penrith | - |
| 39 | 14 February 2016 | 17:00 | Melbourne Glaciers | 1 - 5 | Sydney Wolf Pack | Penrith | - |

## Standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; SW = Shootout Wins; SL = Shootout losses; L = Losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GDF = Goal differential; PTS = Points

The regular season league standings are as follows:

| Team | GP | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GDF | PTS |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Melbourne Glaciers | 13 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 27 | +28 | 31 |
| Sydney Sabres | 13 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 46 | 29 | +17 | 26 |
| Sydney Wolf Pack | 13 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 48 | 34 | +14 | 26 |
| Perth Pelicans | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 41 | 44 | -3 | 18 |
| Perth Sharks | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 32 | 42 | -10 | 13 |
| Melbourne Whalers | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 16 | 62 | -46 | 2 |

## Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Caleb Butler | Melbourne Glaciers | 10 | 19 | 10 | 29 | 0 |
| Corey Stringer | Melbourne Glaciers | 13 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 4 |
| Liam Manwarring | Sydney Sabres | 12 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 46 |
| Jordan Grover | Perth Pelicans | 13 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 8 |
| Bayley Kubara | Sydney Wolf Pack | 13 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 28 |
| Jonathan Spalding | Perth Pelicans | 13 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 4 |
| Bruno Stolze | Perth Sharks | 13 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 2 |
| Ben Stolze | Perth Sharks | 13 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 10 |
| Ellessee Carini | Sydney Sabres | 12 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 30 |
| David Mahood | Perth Pelicans | 13 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 6 |

## Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

| Player | Team | GP | Mins | W | L | GA | SO | Sv% | GAA |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dale Tilsted | Sydney Sabres | 6 | 225:00 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0.920 | 0.80 |
| Alex Tetrault | Sydney Wolf Pack | 3 | 135:00 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0.902 | 1.33 |
| Jack Hayes | Melbourne Glaciers | 12 | 540:00 | 9 | 1 | 23 | 2 | 0.905 | 1.92 |
| Mark McCann | Perth Sharks | 8 | 355:00 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 0 | 0.886 | 2.92 |
| Tyrone Mendoza-Kehlet | Sydney Sabres | 9 | 362:00 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 1 | 0.858 | 2.98 |

## AJIHL Tier 2 Wild Card Tournament

| Game | Date | Time | Away | Score | Home | Location |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 28 January 2016 | 8:15 | Brisbane Blitz | 5 - 1 | Canberra Junior Brave | Phillip Ice Skating Centre |
| 2 | 28 January 2016 | 12:10 | Adelaide Generals | 2 - 4 | Brisbane Blitz | Phillip Ice Skating Centre |
| 3 | 28 January 2016 | 18:45 | Canberra Junior Brave | 4 - 3 (SO) | Adelaide Generals | Phillip Ice Skating Centre |
| 4 | 29 January 2016 | 12:10 | Canberra Junior Brave | 1 - 2 | Adelaide Generals | Phillip Ice Skating Centre |
| 5 | 29 January 2016 | 18:45 | Brisbane Blitz | 5 - 1 | Canberra Junior Brave | Phillip Ice Skating Centre |
| 6 | 30 January 2016 | 12:10 | Adelaide Generals | 3 - 2 | Brisbane Blitz | Phillip Ice Skating Centre |

### AJIHL Tier 2 Tournament Standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; SW = Shootout Wins; SL = Shootout losses; L = Losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GDF = Goal differential; PTS = Points

The regular season league standings are as follows:

| Team | GP | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GDF | PTS |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Brisbane Blitz | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 7 | +9 | 9 |
| Adelaide Generals | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 7 |
| Canberra Junior Brave | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 15 | -8 | 2 |
