The Sydney Ice Dogs have a busy weekend ahead of them. On Friday Night, they face the Sydney Bears (22 points) for the final time this season and will need a win to claim the Wilson Cup. They then travel to Canberra for their third meeting with the CBR Brave (37 points) on Saturday night.

ICE DOGS VS. BEARS

All-Time: 31-22-4-3

Friday’s game is the final of four meetings between the Ice Dogs and Bears. The Ice Dogs have shutout the Bears in two of the matchups this season but fell to the rivals, 4-2, in their last game on July 15^th at Macquarie Ice Rink.

The Ice Dogs have won 13 of the past 19 games against the Bears, dating back to April 27^th 2013 and have won 35 of the 60 contests since the club’s founding in 2002. The Bears were topped by the Northstars in their most recent game by a score of 7-4.

ICE DOGS VS. BRAVE

All-Time: 21-26-1-5 (12-7-1-3 at home; 9-19-0-2 on the road)

Saturday's game is the third of four meetings between the Ice Dogs and Brave, and the final of two meetings between the teams at Phillip Swimming & Ice Skating Centre. The Ice Dogs fell to the Brave, 4-2, in the last matchup on May 28^th in Sydney. Grant Toulmin has registered at least two points thus far in the season series, and seven different Ice Dogs have tallied a point against the Brave this season.

The Brave were victorious in their last game, against the Sydney Bears, 7-4.

WHO’S HOT

• Grant Toulmin has registered 32 points over the season including 19 goals and two hat tricks, the first coming against the Newcastle Northstars and again on July 1^st against the Perth Thunder. He heads the Ice Dogs in goals (19) and points (32) this season and is second in the AIHL in goals (19). In addition, the forward ranks __ in points amassed and leads the league in goals scored this season. Toulmin registered a goal and an assist in Melbourne this weekend.
• Damien Ketlo has posted an 9-12-0 record, along with a 2.59 goals against average (GAA), a .927 save percentage (SV%), and 2 shutouts in 21 games in 2017.
• Todd Stephenson has registered 4 points in the past 3 games. This includes a goal and 3 assists all against the league leading Melbourne Ice.

STATUS REPORT

• Dave Upton will miss his 16^th game due to injury

• After missing 15 games with a lower body injury, veteran forward Billy Cliff has returned to the line up.