AIHL All-Star Weekend 2016

The Australian Ice Hockey League All-Star Weekend is an annual event showcasing the best talent from the AIHL in skills tests and an exhibition ‘All-Stars’ match.

2016 AIHL All-Star Game
123 Total
Team Schlamp 325 10
Team Armstrong 144 9
DateJune 12, 2016
ArenaPenrith Ice Palace
CityPenrith, NSW, Australia
MVPMichael Dorr
Attendancex
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History

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4 August 2015, the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) announced the formation of a new event in the Australian ice hockey calendar, the AIHL All-Star Weekend.

The second annual Australian Ice Hockey League All-Star Weekend, took place between June 11 and 12, 2016 at Penrith Ice Palace in Penrith, NSW.

Cash prizes are on offer for players for the breakaway challenge during the skills tests, the winner of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the All-Stars match and the team the MVP comes from. In 2015 the winner of the Breakaway Challenge received $1000, the winner of the MVP received $5000 and the MVP club received $4000.[1]

Rosters

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??? of the ??? and Ron Kuprowsky of the Sydney Bears were named as the coaches for the game.[2]

* Denotes a player not originally selected in either All-Star team but played in the All-Stars match.

Skills Competition

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The skills competitions selected for presentation by the respective coaches include a number of skills events the National Hockey League showcases at their All-Stars Weekend event. Each event is sponsored by one of the league's major sponsors and are performed on the Saturday afternoon.[5][6]

Air Canada Fastest Skater Competition

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In this event, pairs of skaters raced each other simultaneously on parallel courses on the rink. The fastest two skaters then had a final race.[7]

Heat Team Bales Verses Team Schlamp
1 Kieren Webster vs Daniel Pataky
2 Mitch Humphries vs Tommy Powell
3 Rob Haselhurst vs Matt Wetini
4 Brian Bales vs Matt Armstrong
5 John Kennedy vs Tomas Landa
Final Rob Haselhurst vs Matt Wetini
Event score: 3–3 Tied
Overall score: 3–3 Tied
  • bold = Heat winner
  • Red & bold = Event winner

APA Group Breakaway Challenge

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The breakaway challenge saw three shooters and one goalie from each team take to the ice. Each skater was given 3 shots, with full access to the offensive zone, to play out their routine and take a shot. The winner was judged on their presentation as well as scoring by a fan shout off. In goals for Team Bales was Kamil Jarina (SB) and for Team Schlamp Dayne Davis (NNS).[8]

Team Bales Team Schlamp
Brian Bales Brian Funes
Stephen Blunden Michael Schlamp
Andrew Cox James Byers
Event score: 1–0 Team Bales
Overall score: 4–3 Team Bales
  • Red & bold = Event winner

Haigh & Hastings Shooting Accuracy Competition

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In this event, competitors were positioned in front of the net, and were passed the puck from two teammates situated behind the goal line. The players had to hit targets at the four corners of the net in the fastest time.[9]

Heat Team Bales Time (sec) Time (sec) Team Schlamp
1 Mitch Humphries 43.6 21.5 Matt Armstrong
2 Josef Rezek 17.1 34.8 Robert Malloy
3 Luc Daigneault 51.4 34.8 Adrian Esposito
4 Stephen Blunden 19.5 30.2 Michael Schlamp
Final Josef Rezek 20.37 29.97 Matt Armstrong
Event score: 3–2 Team Bales
Overall score: 7–5 Team Bales
  • bold = Heat winner
  • Red & bold = Event winner

Rifle Media Stickhandling Competition

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The stickhandling competition saw two skaters positioned in a head on head contest on identical obstacle courses that would test different styles of stick handling, first one to the finish line wins. There are four skaters in total selected by each team to compete.[10]

Heat Team Bales Verses Team Schlamp
1 Brian Bales vs Jamie Woodman
2 Shannon McGregor vs Tommy Powell
3 Kai Miettinen vs Daniel Pataky
4 Mitch Humphries vs Adrian Esposito
Final Kai Miettinen vs Tommy Powell
Event score: 1–4 Team Schlamp
Overall score: 8–9 Team Schlamp
  • bold = Heat winner
  • Red & bold = Event winner

Skaters Network Hardest Shot Competition

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In this competition, four players from each team skate in from the blue line one at a time, and slap a puck as hard as possible into the net with a speed camera positioned behind the net to register the impact speed. Each player gets two attempts in the heats and the top two players face off in the final and get one attempt to win the event.[11]

Heat Team Bales Speed (mph) Speed (mph) Team Schlamp
1 Stephen Blunden 83 & 83 79 & 83 Brian Funes
2 John Kennedy 85 & 85 96 & 85 Matt Armstrong
3 Shannon McGregor 85 & 74 84 & 81 Robert Malloy
4 Rob Haselhurst 83 & 79 83 & 76 Michael Schlamp
Final John Kennedy 81 88 Matt Armstrong
Event score: 3–2 Team Bales
Overall score: 11–11 Tied
  • bold = Heat winner
  • Red & bold = Event winner

Ryzer Elimination Shootout

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In this competition, players attempt to score on the opposing team's goalie. Players who score earn a point for their team for each goal they score. Players are eliminated from the competition if they fail to score.[12]

Team Bales Result Result Team Schlamp
Round 1
Brian Bales Save Goal Adrian Esposito
Andrew Cox Save Save Jamie Woodman
Kai Miettinen Save Save Brian Funes
Stephen Blunden Save Goal Daniel Pataky
John Kennedy Save Goal James Byers
Josef Rezek Goal Save Matt Armstrong
Luc Daigneault Goal Save Tommy Powell
Robert Haselhurst Save Save Michael Schlamp
Mitch Humphries Save Goal Matt Wetini
Kieren Webster Save Save Robert Malloy
Round 2
Josef Rezek Save Save Adrian Esposito
Luc Daigneault Save Save Daniel Pataky
Save James Byers
Goal Matt Wetini
Event score: 2–5 Team Schlamp
Final overall score: 13–16 Team Schlamp
  • bold = Goal scorer
  • Red & bold = Event winner
Final Individual Winners Overview
Event Winner Team
Air Canada Fastest Skater Competition Pat O'Kane (Melbourne Mustangs) Team Armstrong
APA Group Breakaway Challenge Geordie Wudrick (CBR Brave) Team Schlamp
Haigh & Hastings Shooting Accuracy Competition Stephen Blunden (CBR Brave) Team Armstrong
Rifle Media Stickhandling Competition Casey Kubara (CBR Brave) Team Schlamp
Skaters Network Fastest Shot Competition James Issacs (Melbourne Mustangs) Team Armstrong
Ryzer Elimination Shootout Brian Funes (Sydney Bears) Team Armstrong

Game Summary

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The All-Star game sees a selection of the best players from the AIHL pitted against each other under than banner of two captains. The match is played on the Sunday afternoon.

Team Schlamp 10 – 9
(3-1, 2-4, 5-4)
Team Armstrong Penrith Ice Palace (att)
Penrith
First period
Virjassov (Schlamp, Pataky) 11:21 Referees:
4:49 Blunden (Bales, Humphries) Joe Mayer
Funes (Schlamp) 3:24 Linesmen:
O'Kane (Powell, Armstrong) 1:55 Tim Ladelle
O'Kane (2) (unassisted) 1:25 Official scorer:
Second period Debra McGregor
10:14 Bales (Humphries, Nadin) MVP: O'Kane (MM)
O'Kane (3) (Armstrong, Powell) 2:13
O'Kane (4) (Pataky) 1:49
Third period
Powell (O'Kane) 10:57
10:09 Nadin (Rezek, Webster)
  • Shots on Goal:
    • Team Schlamp: 13 - 11 - 10 - Total: 34
    • Team Bales: 7 - 11 - 17 - Total: 35

Source: AIHL[13]

Broadcasting

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Television: Fox Sports (part of the entire AIHL TV deal with Fox Sports). The AIHL released information that Fox Sports would broadcast the All-Stars Weekend event on their pay-television platform the following Thursday (17 September 2015).[2][14]

References

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  1. ^ "Cash prizes add spice to All-Star Weekend". www.theaihl.com. 2015-09-10. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  2. ^ a b "2015 All-Star Weekend". www.theaihl.com. 2015-09-13. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  3. ^ "2016 Team Bales". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  4. ^ "2015 Team Schlamp". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  5. ^ "2015 Skills Competition Participants". www.theaihl.com. 2015-09-12. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  6. ^ "2015 AIHL All-Star Weekend presented by APA Group Description of Events" (PDF). www.theaihl.com. 2015-07-22. Retrieved 2015-09-14.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Chapman, Carol (2015-09-13). "Haselhurst speeds to All-Star Fastest Skater gong". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  8. ^ Laura, Courtney (2015-09-13). "Bales leads the way in All-Star Breakaway Challenge". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  9. ^ Darnley, Ryan (2015-09-13). "Pinpoint Rezek dominates All-Star Shooting Accuracy". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  10. ^ Chapman, Carol (2015-09-13). "Hot hand Powell claims All-Star Stickhandling Competition". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  11. ^ Laura, Courtney (2015-09-13). "Armstrong rockets to claim All-Star Hardest Shot". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  12. ^ Darnley, Ryan (2015-09-13). "Wetini snatches All-Star Elimination Shootout". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  13. ^ "AIHL 2015 All-Star Gamebox". www.theaihl.com. 2015-09-13. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  14. ^ Brodie, Will (2013-04-17). "Ice hockey gets pay TV boost". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
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