Preview: Bears V Mustangs

Sydney Bears play two matches at Penrith Ice Palace on 9/10 July against Melbourne Mustangs (Saturday) and Adelaide Adrenaline (Sunday). After the Bears secured 6 points last weekend with regulation wins against the Ice Dogs (5-4) and North Stars (3-0), Bears are now on 21 points after 16 games (3-6-5-2) and are now in 5th place on the AIHL ladder. They are 6 points away from 4th place CBR Brave.

Saturday's opponents are the Melbourne Mustangs who are currently on 20 points (6-10-1-0) after 17 games. In 6th place and 8 points clear of 7th & 8th position (Adelaide Adrenaline & Sydney Ice Dogs on 12 points), the Mustangs and Bears are the two teams outside of the top 4 (Ice, Thunder, North Stars & Brave) who can challenge for Finals in Melbourne at the end of August. Both teams need to keep winning. 

Last weekend, Mustangs hosted Perth Thunder in 2 games. Mustangs defeated Thunder 2-1 on Saturday while on Sunday, Thunder defeated Mustangs 6-3. Meanwhile, Bears had a much needed 6 point weekend.

This will be the second meeting for the 2 teams in 2016. On Sunday 26 June, the first game ended with a 4-2 comeback win for the Mustangs after the Bears led 2-1. The game ended with the Bears conceding 81 penalty minutes in the last 7 minutes of the game and will be keen to reverse the result of that game.

After this game, the Bears host the Adelaide Adrenaline to complete the weekend the following day while the Mustangs travel to Liverpool to play the Ice Dogs. Bears and Mustangs also play against each other the following weekend in Melbourne on Saturday 16 July.

Bears/Mustangs games at Penrith Ice Palace in 2015 were high scoring affairs and this is again possible in 2016. 

Bears Live audio stream commences at 4.30pm with puck drop at 5pm at Penrith Ice Palace.

Story: Eric Brook

Photo: Injected Ideas Photography