Melbourne Mustangs
Melbourne Mustangs | |
---|---|
City | Melbourne, Victoria |
League | Australian Ice Hockey League |
Founded | 2010 |
Home arena | O'Brien Group Arena |
Colours | |
Owner(s) | John Belic & Andrew McDowell |
General manager | Rod Johns |
Head coach | Michael Flaherty |
Captain | 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) |
Current season |
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 | Michael McDowell | D | R | 35 | 2013 | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
4 | Andrew Belic | F | R | 35 | 2011 | ||
11 | Matt Stringer | F | R | 31 | 2011 | ||
13 | Vadim Virjassov | F | L | 38 | 2015 | Kohtla-Järve, Estonia | |
15 | Jackson McCoy | D | R | 34 | 2011 | Townsville, Queensland, Australia | |
17 | Tommy Steven | F | 2016 | ||||
19 | Damian Bright | D | R | 35–36 | 2011 | ||
22 | Luke Fisher | F | 2016 | ||||
23 | Jamie Bourke | F | R | 33 | 2013 | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
25 | Michael McMahon | D | 2016 | ||||
29 | Brendan McDowell (A) | F | L | 32 | 2012 | ||
45 | Charlie Moore | D | L | 32 | 2016 | El Segundo, California | |
51 | Sean Jones (C) | F | L | 39 | 2011 | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
53 | Tom Voller | F | 28–29 | 2013 | |||
67 | Ryan Ruddle | F | R | 2016 | |||
71 | Phil Bakatsoulas | D | R | 2016 | |||
85 | Stephen Belic | F | R | 37 | 2011 | ||
89 | Patrick O'Kane (A) | F | L | 35 | 2013 | Hollis, New Hampshire, United States | |
97 | Corey Stringer | F | R | 27 | 2015 | ||
1 | Fraser Carson | G | L | 30 | 2011 | ||
35 | Jack Hayes | G | 26 | 2015 | |||
36 | Michael James | G | L | 34 | 2011 | ||
36 | 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]
- 2010-11 Shane Hardy (C), Scott Corbett (A), Stephen Belic (A)
- 2011-12 Shane Hardy (C), Scott Levitt (A), Christopher James (A)
- 2012-13 Sean Jones (C), Brendan McDowell (A), Andrew Belic (A)
- 2013-14 Sean Jones (C), Brendan McDowell (A), Patrick O'Kane (A)
- 2014-15 Sean Jones (C), Brendan McDowell (A), Patrick O'Kane (A)
- 2015-16 Patrick O'Kane (C), Sean Jones (A), Jamie Bourke (A)
Head Coaches
The first Head Coach for the Melbourne Mustangs was Steve Laforet.[16]
- 2010-11 Steve Laforet
- 2011-12 Steve Laforet
- 2012-13 Brad Vigon
- 2013-14 Brad Vigon
- 2014-15 Brad Vigon
- 2015-16 Michael Flaherty
References
- ^ "Mustangs v Melbourne Ice". Victorian Ice Hockey Association. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue Tongues Playing For 2011". Southern Stars Ice Hockey. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Melbourne Mustangs News". Melbourne Musttangs. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "History of the Australian Ice Hockey League". Australian Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Team Profile". Melbourne Mustangs. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "2011 AIHL Regular Season". Australian Ice Hockey League. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "2011 Regular Season Standings". Australian Ice Hockey League. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Hewitt, Andrew. "Changes aplenty at AIHL AGM". Hewitt Sports Network. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "2012 Regular Season Standings". Australian Ice Hockey League. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "New Coach for Mustangs". Australian Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Laforet and Mustangs sever ties". Hewitt Sports Network. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Jones, Hamish (7 February 2013). "Mustangs New Logo". Australian Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Ruthless Mustangs snatch maiden Goodall Cup". Australian Ice Hockey League.
- ^ "2016 Team Announcement". Melbourne Mustangs. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "AJIHL Rosters Finalised". Retrieved 17 September 2015.
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requires|archive-url=
(help) - ^ "Mustangs Ice Hockey". Retrieved 21 March 2016.