Western Sydney Ice Dogs
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| Western Sydney Ice Dogs | |
| League | AIHL |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Based in | Blacktown, New South Wales |
| Home ice | Blacktown Ice Arena |
| Colors | Burgundy, blue, silver and white |
| Championships | 2004 |
| Minor Premiers | None |
| Head coach | Dan Walker |
| General manager | Doug Flynn |
The Western Sydney Ice Dogs (sometimes the "Western" is said simply as "West") are a semi-professional ice hockey team in the Australian Ice Hockey League. The team plays its home games at the Ice Arena in Blacktown, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales.
The Ice Dogs (along with the Melbourne Ice and Newcastle North Stars) were part of a three-team expansion to the AIHL in 2002 and rose to quick success, winning the Goodall Cup in 2004.
Ice hockey in Western Sydney goes back to 1981, when the Blacktown Flyers were a foundation member of the New South Wales Superleague. While lasting for thirteen seasons, this league struggled to gain stability and folded, to be reborn in 1994 as the ECSL, however it too would be disbanded in 2000 with Western Sydney having no representative in the newly-formed AIHL.
The region returned to the national ice hockey map in 2002 when the Ice Dogs joined the AIHL. Their first season was a success as they finished third out of six teams. It would not be enough to gain them a place in the finals, however, as a four-team playoff would not be introduced until the 2003 season.
The Ice Dogs defeated the Adelaide Avalanche to reach the Goodall Cup final in 2003, but lost the championship game 4-1 to Newcastle. They would have their revenge in 2004, as both teams again squared off for the Cup and the Ice Dogs won 3-1. A healthy rivalry between the Ice Dogs and the North Stars arose from these two championship games.
[edit] External links
| Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) | |
| 2006 teams: Adelaide Avalanche | Brisbane Blue Tongues | Canberra Knights | Central Coast Rhinos | Melbourne Ice | Newcastle North Stars | Sydney Bears | Western Sydney Ice Dogs | |
| Trophies and Awards: Goodall Cup | V.I.P. Cup | |
| Related Articles: Australian National Ice Hockey Team | Ice Hockey Australia | International Ice Hockey Federation | |
