Melbourne Ice win Goodall Cup

The Melbourne Ice defeated the Canberra Brave, 7-3, last Sunday night in the Australian Ice Hockey League finals to win the 2025 Goodall Cup. The game was played at the O’Brien Icehouse in Melbourne. Although the score looks one-sided, the game took on high drama late in the second period. After racing out to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes, the Ice showed some vulnerability in the middle period as the Brave roared back to tie the game. A goal late in the second by Tyrone Bronte got the Ice back on track, however, and they sealed the win with three unanswered goals in the third.

 

The Ice were led by Michigander David Booth, the 40-year-old former NHLer who signed with the team in late May. Despite playing only half a season, he led the Ice in scoring during the regular season, collecting 34 goals and 64 points in just 14 games. That included a five-goal, eight-point outing—and perhaps the best goal of the year—on 3 August against Brisbane.

 

Booth also finished tied for fourth in league scoring with teammate Joakim Erdugan, who played in all 28 games for the Ice this season. In the final game, Booth had an empty-net goal and an assist, and Erdugan also had a goal and assist.

 

Japanese goalie Tatsunoshin Ishida was another star all season for the Ice, leading the league with 16 wins, a GAA of 3.37, and a .908 save percentage. He also won both playoff games for the Ice.

 

Other top players on the Ice include Nathan Cachia, a 30-year-old Canadian who also played for Australia at the Men’s World Championship, Division II-A this past season. As well, Samuel Bartlett, just 20, played at the IIHF’s World U20 Championship, II-B this past year and was also on the Ice. He made his debut with the team three years ago.

 

The Goodall Cup is the third oldest trophy in the hockey world, contested annually starting in 1911 when New South Wales won the first edition of the cup. Only the Stanley Cup (1893) and the Allan Cup (1909) are older.

 

This is the fifth Goodall Cup win for the Ice, who previously won it in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2017.

 

The Ice finished in first place during the regular season with a 20-2-2-4 record and 68 points, miles ahead of the second-place Brave, who had 51…