Melbourne Mustangs

Melbourne Mustangs
2016 AIHL season
City Melbourne, Victoria
League Australian Ice Hockey League
Founded 2010
Home arena O'Brien Group Arena
Colours               
Owner(s) Australia John Belic & Australia Andrew McDowell
General manager Canada Rod Johns
Head coach Australia Michael Flaherty
Captain United States Patrick O'Kane
Website www.melbournemustangs.com.au
Franchise history
2010–2012 Mustangs IHC
2012–present Melbourne Mustangs
Championships
Regular season titles 1 (2014)
Goodall Cups 1 (2014)

The Melbourne Mustangs are a semi-professional ice hockey team based in Docklands, Victoria, Australia. They are members of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL).

Team History

The Mustangs IHC were founded in 2010.[1] During the 2010 AIHL season the Mustangs competed in six exhibition games against ice hockey teams around Australia, including games against the Gold Coast Blue Tongues, the Gold Coast Grizzlys, and Perth Thunder.[2][3] Following the closure of the 2010 season the AIHL granted a license to the Mustangs to join the league and compete in the 2011 AIHL season.[4] Steve Laforet was named coach and Shane Hardy team captain for the 2011 season. However, on 23 June, it was announced that Laforet had resigned for "personal reasons" and assistant coach, Doug Stevenson would take over the head coach role.[5]

The Mustangs lost their first game in the AIHL 4–8 against the Melbourne Ice. The game was the season opener and was played at the home stadium of both teams in Docklands, Victoria.[6] The team finished sixth after the regular season, ahead of the Canberra Knights and the Sydney Bears.[7]

For the start of the 2012 AIHL season the Mustangs changed their name to the Melbourne Mustangs after the AIHL lifted a condition that prohibited the use of "Melbourne" in their team name. The restriction was originally put in place to protect the brand of the Melbourne Ice. .[8][9] Also the club announced that Bill Wilkinson would be their head coach. Midway through the season though Wilkinson was fired as head coach and replaced by former head coach Steve Laforet. In December 2012 the club announced that they had appointed Brad Vigon as head coach, replacing Steve Laforet who had been fired at the end of the 2012 season.[10][11] The club also revealed their new logo for the start of the 2013 season featuring a redesigned mustang horse, holding an ice hockey stick.[12]

The Mustangs finished the 2014 AIHL season in first place, then went on to win the Goodall Cup, defeating the Melbourne Ice 6-1 in the final.[13]

Season-by-season record

Season GP W SOW SOL L GF GA PTS Finish Playoff
2011 28 8 2 1 17 107 132 29 6th Did not qualify
2012 24 5 1 2 16 54 107 19 5th, Easton Did not qualify
2013 28 12 4 2 10 118 103 46 5th Did not qualify
2014 28 17 0 3 8 108 88 54 1st Won semi-finals vs. Sydney Ice Dogs, 6–4
Won Goodall Cup final vs. Melbourne Ice, 6–1
2015 28 11 3 2 12 139 105 41 6th Did not qualify

Players

Current roster

Team roster for the 2016 AIHL season[14]

# Nat Name Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
2 Australia Michael McDowell D R 27 2013 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
4 Australia Andrew Belic F R 27 2011
11 Australia Matt Stringer F R 22 2011
13 Estonia Vadim Virjassov F L 29 2015 Kohtla-Järve, Estonia
15 Australia Jackson McCoy D R 25 2011 Townsville, Queensland, Australia
17 Australia Tommy Steven F 2016
19 Australia Damian Bright D R 28 2011
22 Australia Luke Fisher F 2016
23 Australia Bourke, JamieJamie Bourke F R 24 2013 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
25 Australia Michael McMahon D 2016
29 Australia McDowell, BrendanBrendan McDowell (A) F L 24 2012
45 United States Charlie Moore D L 32 2016 El Segundo, California
51 Australia Jones, SeanSean Jones (C) F L 30 2011 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
53 Australia Tom Voller F 21 2013
67 Australia Ryan Ruddle F R 2016
71 Australia Phil Bakatsoulas D R 2016
85 Australia Stephen Belic F R 29 2011
89 United States Patrick O'Kane (A) F L 26 2013 Hollis, New Hampshire, United States
97 Australia Corey Stringer F R 18 2015
1 Australia Fraser Carson G L 21 2011
35 Australia Jack Hayes G 18 2015
36 Australia Michael James G L 26 2011
36 Canada Chris Slauenwhite G L 2016

Captains

The first team Captain for the Melbourne Mustangs was Shane Hardy, his Alternate Captains were Scott Corbett and Stephen Belic.[15]


Head Coaches

The first Head Coach for the Melbourne Mustangs was Steve Laforet.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Mustangs v Melbourne Ice". Victorian Ice Hockey Association. Archived from the original on 2011-04-15. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  2. ↑ "Blue Tongues Playing For 2011". Southern Stars Ice Hockey. Archived from the original on 2010-08-15. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  3. ↑ "Melbourne Mustangs News". Melbourne Musttangs. Archived from the original on 2010-08-15. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  4. ↑ "History of the Australian Ice Hockey League". Australian Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2011-04-15. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  5. ↑ "Team Profile". Melbourne Mustangs. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  6. ↑ "2011 AIHL Regular Season". Australian Ice Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  7. ↑ "2011 Regular Season Standings". Australian Ice Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
  8. ↑ Hewitt, Andrew. "Changes aplenty at AIHL AGM". Hewitt Sports Network. Archived from the original on 2012-04-14. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  9. ↑ "2012 Regular Season Standings". Australian Ice Hockey League. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  10. ↑ "New Coach for Mustangs". Australian Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2012-12-24. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
  11. ↑ "Laforet and Mustangs sever ties". Hewitt Sports Network. Archived from the original on 2012-12-24. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
  12. ↑ Jones, Hamish (2013-02-07). "Mustangs New Logo". Australian Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2013-02-10. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  13. ↑ "Ruthless Mustangs snatch maiden Goodall Cup". Australian Ice Hockey League.
  14. ↑ "2016 Team Announcement". Melbourne Mustangs. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  15. ↑ "AJIHL Rosters Finalised". Retrieved 17 September 2015.
  16. ↑ "Mustangs Ice Hockey". Retrieved 21 March 2016.

External links

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