PREVIEW: Dogs head to Adelaide

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The Adelaide Adrenaline are fresh off a "Jekyl and Hyde" weekend in Melbourne and are set to face the Sydney Ice Dogs in a double header this weekend.

On Saturday Adrenaline fans must have been left feeling dazed, confused and concerned after the club lost 8-0 to the Melbourne Ice, their 12th defeat in a row vs. the reigning premiers.

But what a difference a day makes!

On Sunday the Adrenaline stunned a Melbourne Mustangs side who everyone thought would be in the Top 4 (and probably still do!). It was a total team effort, powered by 41 saves from goalie Sebastian Andersson, for the Adrenaline to beat the Mustangs 3-1 on the road. 

Forward Ales Kratoska, who had three points in the win, says the feeling in the dressing room is really good.

"It was a good team game on Sunday," he said. "Every player did not play for themselves but played for a team. I think all the boys realise that winning games is hard work but I think we are prepared to do it."

Now the focus switches to the Sydney Ice Dogs. Make sure you get your tickets at http://bit.ly/adrenalinetickets before they sell out!

Game times are 4:30PM on both Saturday and Sunday. Read our preview, roster and game day tips below 

Whats the deal with the Ice Dogs? 

The Ice Dogs are a far cry from the team that won just one game in 2015. Since then they've added a new coach, local depth and an impressive crop of imports. 

Their recruits are highlighted by Geordie Wudrick who is back for his fourth straight AIHL season with his third different team (Newcastle, CBR, Ice Dogs). Wudrick set the single season points record in 2015 with Newcastle by scoring 96 points on the way to a Goodall Cup. 

They added local depth in forward Cameron Todd from the Bears and the three Stephenson brothers are always a handful.

Captain Scott Stephenson was on the AIHL Fifth Liners Podcast on the weekend and talked about how the Ice Dogs are coming together well as a team, that there is great depth and a feeling of confidence in the room.

"But we're not getting ahead of ourselves. We're taking it one game at a time...but we want to be in the big dance," he said on the show.

The depth Stephenson refers to goes from the forwards to the defense.

They have a pair of defensemen in Daniel Pataky and James Marino who are considered two of the best young guys in the country. They are guided by star import recruit Nathan Chiarlitti who played hockey in the CIS (Canadian University). 

Even though the Dogs are bringing in a back up goalie, their backup Nick Mizen was brillian in a 4-3 shootout win over Newcastle. He stopped 31 saves in regulation and three in the tiebreaker.

Many people have the Ice Dogs finishing anywhere from 3rd in the AIHL to 6th. They're a solid team who can beat anyone. Their turnaround is largely thanks in part to new head coach Andrew Petrie who moved to the Dogs from the Newcastle North Stars this season.

What about the Adrenaline? 

It is going to be an interesting year for the Adrenaline as they look to the future. The Adrenaline have five of the top six Australian Junior Ice Hockey League scorers on their roster and two of those rookies got on the scoresheet last weekend when Nathaniel Benson and Harley Anderson got assists on an Ales Kratoska goal.

While the Adrenaline wait for Aussie Joe Rezek to return from National Team duty, the club is looking at players like Steve Best to step up. Best, fresh off being named an Alternate Captain, scored the game winning goal in the third period of Sunday's win. 

He played on a line with Sami Mantere and import Ales Kratoska. Up front there is plenty of new faces like Quenton Tombleson, Harley Anderson (from QLD), Brad Chenoweth, Nathaniel Benson and return player Andrew Stapleton. 

Who will step up this week?

Any new additions to the line up?

The Adrenaline are excited to bring in Alex Adams - an import defenseman - for this weekend's games. Adams just finished a season split between Laurier in Canadian University and the Knoxville Ice Bears on the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). 

Adams was the top defenseman with the Ice Bears. 

He should eat some valuable minutes and really help import Caleb Apperson who was solid on the blue line for the club in debut.

KEY STATS

100% - That's the percentage of successful penalty kills (6/6) vs. the Mustangs on Sunday. 

41 - That's how many saves Sebastian Andersson made in Sunday's win. 

3 - That's how many points Ales Kratoska had (2g, 1a) vs. the Mustangs.

500 - That's how many screaming fans we want at the IceArenA on Saturday and Sunday. Get your tickets now!

THINGS TO KNOW
- Gates open at 3:30PM. It's GA seating unless you are a full season ticket and have your seat reserved.

- Recently retired Sean Greer and David Huxley, who have 461 Adrenaline games combined, will be on hand to drop the puck

- Fancy a skate? Public skating at the IceArenA is 12:30PM - 3:30PM both games.

- If you want a beer pre-game you can head to Benny Bar upstairs at Stadium 19. 

- POST GAME PARTY on Saturday at Hilton Hotel / Mybar