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The 2023–24 AWIHL season is the 15th season of the Australian Women's Ice Hockey League (AWIHL). It ran from 28 October 2023 until 10 March 2024. Five teams competed in 40 regular season games followed by 4 playoff games, making up the AWIHL Finals weekend. The Perth Inferno claimed the Gower Memorial Shield premiership title, their maiden title, for finishing top of the regular season standings. The Melbourne Ice claimed their eighth Joan McKowen Memorial Trophy championship title by winning the grand final. Perth Inferno collected silver with Adelaide Rush claimed bronze. Defending champions, the Sydney Sirens, claimed the wooden spoon.

Teams

In 2023–24 the AWIHL had five teams from five Australian state capital cities competing, stretching east to west of the continent.

2023–24 AWIHL teams

Team	City	Arena	Head Coach	Captain
Adelaide Rush	Adelaide	IceArenA	Joey MacDougall	Natasha Farrier
Brisbane Lightning	Brisbane	Boondall Iceworld	Matthew Meyer	Christina Badgley
Melbourne Ice	Melbourne	O'Brien Icehouse	Curtis Klooster	Georgia Moore
Perth Inferno	Perth	Cockburn Ice Arena	Graham Hyde	Chrystina Acker
Sydney Sirens	Sydney	Macquarie Ice Rink	Gabriel Robledo	Sarah Edney
Exhibition teams
Melbourne Ducks	Melbourne	IceHQ	Jeremy Muir	Lucy Parrington

League Business

Ahead of the 2023–24 season, IceHQ's Melbourne Ducks announced their bid to join the AWIHL. The official AWIHL gameday schedule was released in early September 2023. The season structure was amended from 2022 to 2023, with each team now playing eight home and eight away games for a total of sixteen games over the regular season. An increase from the previous six home and away games. The trophy for the Premiership, winners of the regular season, was also amended in 2023. The Gower Memorial Shield replaced the previous Premiers trophy, the Stephanie Boxall Trophy. In late September, the AWIHL broadcast partner, Clutch.TV, went into administration and ceased all operations. The league was left little time to look for a new broadcaster for season 2023–24. On 24 October, the AWIHL announced a deal with Sportscast Australia to become the league's new broadcast partner for season 2023–24. A few days later the AWIHL and Sportscast Australia launched AWIHL.TV to deliver region-unlocked live and on-demand streaming of all regular season and finals games on a custom built website and YouTube. In January 2024, the AWIHL announced player equipment rule changes and a new equipment supplier agreement with Skaters Network. Neck laceration protective equipment was made mandatory, bringing the league into policy alignment with Ice Hockey Australia (IHA) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The deal with Skaters network, also covers sponsorship of player of the month and end of season player awards.

Exhibition games

To support the Melbourne Ducks application to join the league, the AWIHL approved the team to setup an exhibition series against existing AWIHL teams, including the Sydney Sirens, Melbourne Ice and Adelaide Rush, during season 2023–24. The Sydney Sirens also arranged a pre-season exhibition against a select team from their sponsor Wayward Brewing Company

Regular season

Fixtures & results

Running between 28 October 2023 and 25 February 2024, the AWIHL regular season consisted of 40 games in total, with teams playing 16 games each. Game 34 of the regular season was first postponed and then cancelled by the AWIHL following a carbon monoxide poisoning incident at Adelaide’s IceArenA. At least 42 people, including players from both AWIHL teams, were treated for poisoning with dozens hospitalised by the incident. The LPG gas-powered Zamboni was identified as the source of the leak that led to the poisoning. The game was declared a tie with each team awarded one point each.

October

November

December

January

February

Key:

Standings

Player stats

The season's league leader statistics for skaters and goaltenders.

Goals No. Name Pos G 1 Elizabeth Scala Forward 22 2 Sarah Edney Forward 22 3 Emma Wuthrich Forward 15 4 Sharna Godfrey Forward 14 5 Danielle Butler Forward 14

Assists No. Name Pos A 1 Michelle Clark-Crumpton Forward 27 2 Sara Sammons Forward 24 3 Ashlie Aparicio Forward 23 4 Sharna Godfrey Forward 17 5 Kaitlyn Malthaner Forward 15

Points No. Name Pos P 1 Michelle Clark-Crumpton Forward 38 2 Sara Sammons Forward 33 3 Sharna Godfrey Forward 31 4 Ashlie Aparicio Forward 31 5 Elizabeth Scala Forward 29

Penalty minutes No. Name Pos PIM 1 Maya Tupper Defender 41 2 Emma Wuthrich Forward 39 3 Samantha Brophy Defender 37 4 Molly Lukowiak Forward 26 5 Gabrielle Arps Defender 26

Save percentage No. Name Pos SV% 1 Sasha King Goaltender .923 2 Madison Smith Goaltender .888 3 Emma Moonen Goaltender .875 4 Katie Meyer Goaltender .868 5 Makayla Peers Goaltender .859

Goals against average No. Name Pos GAA 1 Sasha King Goaltender 2.86 2 Katie Meyer Goaltender 3.23 3 Madison Smith Goaltender 3.40 4 Emma Moonen Goaltender 3.85 5 Amelia Knott Goaltender 4.60

Season awards

Below lists the 2023–24 AWIHL regular season league award winners.

Award	Name	Team
Best Forward	Sarah Edney	Sydney Sirens
Best Defence	Maya Tupper	Adelaide Rush
Best Goaltender	Sasha King	Perth Inferno
Nellie Gee Rookie of the Year	Katie Meyer	Brisbane Lightning

Below lists the 2023–24 AWIHL regular season Hockey Hype Australia award winners.

Award	Name	Team
Assist of the season	Natalie Ayris	Adelaide Rush
Goal of the season	Sara Sammons	Perth Inferno
Save of the season	Archie Smith	Adelaide Rush

Joan McKowen playoffs

The top four teams in the AWIHL regular season qualify for the Joan McKowen Memorial Trophy playoffs. The playoffs is held on a single weekend and uses Australian conventions of being called Finals. The playoff system used by the AWIHL is a four team single game semi-finals and grand final system where the semi-final winners progress to the grand final and the losers playoff for third place. Semi-finals are played on the Saturday and the third place playoff and grand final is played on the Sunday. The prize for being crowned AWIHL Champions for winning the grand final is the Joan McKowen Memorial Trophy.

In 2023–24, the Inferno, Rush, Ice and Lightning qualified for the finals weekend. The event was held on the weekend of 9–10 March 2024 in host city Melbourne at O’Brien Icehouse. Perth and Melbourne won the semi-final games on Saturday to progress to the grand final on Sunday. The defeated teams, Adelaide and Brisbane, progressed to the bronze medal game on Sunday. In the third-place play-off, the Adelaide Rush defeated the Brisbane Lightning to clinch the bronze medal. In the grand final, the regular season Premiers were defeated in an upset to the Melbourne Ice. The surprise victory for the Ice saw them hoist the Joan McKowen Memorial Trophy for a record setting eighth time. After the grand final, Danielle Butler, of the Melbourne Ice, was named AWIHL Finals MVP.

Semi-finals

Game reference
	Katie Meyer	Goalies	Sasha King	Referee: Gabby Aston Linesmen: Beth Bowshall Davida Paul
	(Unassisted) S.Crompton 1–0 1–1 G.Mclellan (Unassisted) 1–2 M.Lukowiak (M.Clark-Crumpton, G.Mclellan) 1–3 S.Sammons (M.Clark-Crumpton, S.Irvine)
	8 min	Penalties	14 min
	48	Shots	27

Game reference
	Jenelle Carson	Goalies	Madison Smith	Referee: Ainslie Gardner Linesmen: Sarah Kinninment Cien Pereira
	(M.Pullin) B.Arsenault-Dufour 1–0 (A.Aparicio) S.Conlon 2–0 (S.Godfrey) S.Conlon 3–0 (S.Godfrey) D.Butler 4–0 4–1 K.Malthaner (N.Ayris) 4–2 N.Farrier (K.Venus, R.Pietrowski) (Unassisted) D.Butler 5–2
	8 min	Penalties	10 min
	31	Shots	40

Third place playoff

Game reference
	Madison Smith	Goalies	Tracey McIntosh	Referee: Gabby Aston Linesmen: Cien Pereira Davida Paul
	(K.Venus) R.Pietrowski 1–0 (Unassisted) K.Malthaner 2–0 2–1 L.Kiliwnik (Unassisted) 2–2 C.Mahoney (K.Rapchuk) (Unassisted) S.Meroniuk 3–2 (R.Pietrowski) K.Venus 4–2
	18 min	Penalties	18 min
	34	Shots	36

Final

Game reference
	Jenelle Carson	Goalies	Sasha King	Referee: Ainslie Gardner Linesmen: Beth Bowshall Sarah Kinninment
	(D.Butler) S.Conlon 1–0 (B.Arsenault-Dufour) D.Butler 2–0 (S.Conlon) D.Butler 3–0 (T.Baker) M.Pullin 4–0 4–1 E.Scala (S.Sammons)
	8 min	Penalties	6 min
	39	Shots	30

Gold	Silver	Bronze
Melbourne Ice	Perth Inferno	Adelaide Rush

References

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2. Collins, Lee (7 March 2023). "Melbourne Ducks apply to enter the AWIHL". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
3. ^ Collins, Lee (8 September 2023). "2023–24 AWIHL season schedule released". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
4. Collins, Lee (23 August 2023). "AWIHL extends regular season to 40 games for 2023–24". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
5. "Australian Women's Ice Hockey League (AWIHL) Regulations 2023" (PDF). Ice Hockey Australia. September 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
6. Poletti, Steve (28 September 2023). "Cluch TV enters administration, sporting organisations left scrambling". theinnersanctum.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
7. Collins, Lee (24 October 2023). "AWIHL signs streaming deal with Sportscast Australia". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
8. Collins, Lee (27 October 2023). "AWIHL.TV launched ahead of 2023–24 season". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
9. ^ Collins, Lee (26 January 2024). "AWIHL partners with Skaters Network". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
10. Collins, Lee (6 January 2024). "AWIHL makes neck laceration protection mandatory". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
11. Goodenough, Gordon (5 December 2023). "Getting the Ducks in a row - Melbourne's bid for an AWIHL team". hockeyhypeaustralia.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
12. Collins, Lee (12 October 2023). "Sydney Sirens to play Wayward Sons in exhibition game". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
13. Macdougall, Andrew (11 February 2024). "AWIHL game postponed". hockeyhypeaustralia.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
14. Keenan, Claire (12 February 2024). "At least 42 people treated after carbon monoxide leak at Adelaide Ice Arena". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
15. Alderson, Bethanie (11 February 2024). "Suspected carbon monoxide leak at Adelaide Ice Arena sees 38 people attend hospital". ABC News. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
16. Goodenough, Gordon (12 February 2024). "Adelaide Rush into First, Sydney Quells Lightning". hockeyhypeaustralia.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
17. "2023-2024 Regular Season Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
18. ^ Collins, Lee (10 March 2024). "2023–24 AWIHL season awards". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
19. "Australian Women's Ice Hockey League (AWIHL) Regulations" (PDF). Ice Hockey Australia. 1 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
20. "Joan Mckowen Memorial Cup". Ice Hockey Australia. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
21. Collins, Lee (25 February 2024). "2023–24 AWIHL season: 25 February results and standings". icehockeynewsaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
22. "Welcome to AWIHL Finals – 2024". Ice Hockey Australia. 29 February 2024. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
23. ^ Goodenough, Gordon (10 March 2024). "AWIHL Finals: Perth and Melbourne emerge victorious". Hockey Hype Australia. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
24. Goodenough, Gordon (13 March 2024). "AWIHL Medals Recap: Melbourne Ice lift Joan McKowen Memorial Trophy". Hockey Hype Australia. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.

External links

• Australian Women's Hockey League
• Ice Hockey Australia

• Ice hockey
• Australia

v t e Ice hockey in Australia
National teams	Men's national team Women's national team Men's under-20 national team Men's under-18 national team Australian men's national para ice hockey team Women's under-18 national team
National leagues	Australian Ice Hockey League Australian Women's Ice Hockey League Australian Junior Ice Hockey League
Governing bodies	Ice Hockey Australia Australian Capital Territory Ice Hockey Association New South Wales Ice Hockey Association Ice Hockey Queensland South Australia Ice Hockey Association Ice Hockey Tasmania Victorian Ice Hockey Association Western Australian Ice Hockey Association
Awards and trophies	Current Goodall Cup H Newman Reid Trophy Wilson Cup Joan McKowen Memorial Trophy Stephanie Boxall Trophy Jim Brown Shield Former F.C. Brown Memorial Shield V.I.P. Cup West Lakes Trophy
Ice skating venues	Current The Big Banana Fun Park Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink Cockburn Ice Arena Erina Ice Arena Hunter Ice Skating Stadium IceArenA iceHQ Ice World Boondall Liverpool Catholic Club Ice Rink Macquarie Ice Rink O'Brien Icehouse Perth Ice Arena Phillip Ice Skating Centre Former Adelaide Glaciarium Glenorchy Ice Skating Rink Melbourne Glaciarium Penrith Ice Palace St. Moritz Ice Rink Sydney Glaciarium Sydney Ice Arena
Other tournaments	Pacific Hockey League Australian International Ice Hockey Cup

• Australian Women's Ice Hockey League seasons
• 2023–24 in women's ice hockey leagues
• 2023 in Australian women's sport
• 2024 in Australian women's sport