Bear Essentials: Light and Shadow
Welcome to another edition of Bear Essentials, presented by Genesis Edge Law Group. The Sydney Bears split the weekend of Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) action. Let’s recap the action, highlight some trends, and preview what’s next.
After losing 7-3 against the Sydney Ice Dogs in the Battle of Sydney on Friday night, the Bears pulled the uno reverse card on the Adelaide Adrenaline on Sunday, winning 7-3. The results put the Bears fourth in the standings on points and fifth on points percentage.
Friday night, the Bears came out strong, but couldn’t convert some grade-A chances in the first half of the period. Ryan Burroughs was excellent in net for the Ice Dogs, and frustrations grew as the Ice Dogs benefited from a fortuitous bounce as a Grant Toulmin shot deflected off a Bears stick and into the net.
Two more goals quickly followed from the Ice Dogs before the period ended - a power-play goal and a shorthanded goal - and the Bears were reeling. By the time Dexton Mozell scored the first Bears goal, it was 5-1 Ice Dogs.
The only solace the Bears could take from the game was the excellent play of Dexton Mozell in his Bears debut (two goals), a first-career AIHL point for Colby Shumak, and winning the third period on the scoreboard, two goals to one.
It was the first loss by the Bears by four or more goals since August 2023. Sometimes you’ve just got to tip your cap to the opposition and move on.
The Bears reversed the result on Sunday and extended the Adrenaline’s win drought at Macquarie Ice Rink. The Adrenaline last beat the Bears at Macquarie 3-2 in a shootout in May 2017. For the last Adrenaline regulation win, you have to go back to August 2016 at Penrith Ice Palace.
It was a pleasing win statistically as the Bears outscored the Adrenaline five-on-five, won the scoring contest each period, and won the special teams battle 4-3.
What’s Trending
On Sunday, Sydney scored the first goal of the game via Alexandre Gauthier’s first tally of the season. The Bears are 3-0-0-0 in games when scoring the first goal, but have only done so 30% of the time this season, less than half their rate in 2024 (63.33%). It’s a small sample size, but the Bears have also never trailed in a game in which they have scored first.
A Lucas Herrmann natural hat-trick bookended the second intermission and effectively ended the contest as he scored at even-strength, on the powerplay, and shorthanded. He leads the team in goals (11), and despite 198 PIMs being handed out over the weekend, Herrmann is yet to take a penalty this season.
After imports struggled on Friday (0G, 3A), the core four put up 13 points (4G, 9A) in what felt like a must-win game after Friday’s result. Gauthier’s four-point night was both a career and season high and the most points since May 17, 2025, when he recorded four assists against the Adrenaline as a Central Coast Rhino.
The second power-play unit is trending, as emphasised by Alexander Wardlaw’s brace on the man advantage. Ruben Nalos collected his first career AIHL assist and first career AIHL power-play point.
And finally, Hayden Plimley was part of a viral moment against the Ice Dogs on Friday night, playing goalie pong with his counterpart, Ryan Burroughs, while the officials were gathered with players at centre ice, auditing another fracas. However, don’t let that distract you from the fact that Plimley has won both of his starts, sits fifth in save percentage (.907), and seventh in goals against average (3.43).
What’s Next
A pair of single away games are up for the Bears over the next fortnight. First, the team travels to Perth for the teddy bear toss game on Saturday, May 30. Next, the Bears head up to Newcastle to take on the league-leading Northstars on Saturday, June 6.
Finally, the Bears return home for another single-game weekend, hosting the Melbourne Mustangs on Saturday, June 13. All five home games have been sellouts for the Bears, so get your gameday tickets now and cheer on the team in its quest for the Goodall Cup.
