The Newcastle Northstars will head into next weekend’s Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) top of the table showdown with the Sydney Bears in red-hot form.
The Hunter-based outfit sits atop the competition ladder after accounting for the Sydney Ice Dogs 6-3 in a closely-fought contest at the Macquarie Ice Rink on Saturday evening.
The impressive victory also saw the Northstars claim the Matt Clark Shield, a game which was originally contested from 1995 to 2001 by the Warringah Bombers.
The trophy honours the memory of Clark, a former Bomber, who died from leukaemia in 1995.
The star for Newcastle was Czech-born veteran Richard Tesarik.
The 37-year-old secured a hat-trick, just a week after team-mate Francis Drolet achieved the same feat.
He gave the Northstars a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period.
But, the Ice Dogs flexed their collective muscle in the second, with Aleskandr Dvinianov bagging a double and Strat Allen also scoring.
Another goal to Tesarik narrowed the margin to 3-2, in Sydney’s favour.
However, Newcastle responded in the best possible fashion in the final term.
The visitors put the puck in the back of the net on four occasions, courtesy of Robert Malloy, Daniel Berno, Dash Quartarolo and Tesarik.
The Northstars now face the second-placed Bears at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium on Saturday 16 July, from 5.30pm.
And, given the Newcastle side’s newfound popularity in local sporting circles, a big crowd is expected to converge on the Warners Bay venue.
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