2004 AIHL season

The 2004 AIHL season was the fifth season of the Australian Ice Hockey League. It ran from 1 May 2004 until 29 August 2004, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 4 and 5 September 2004. The Newcastle North Stars won the V.I.P. Cup after finishing the regular season first in the league standings. The Western Sydney Ice Dogs won the Goodall Cup for the first time by defeating the Newcastle North Stars in the final.

Regular season

The regular season began on 1 May 2004 and ran through to 29 August 2004 before the top four teams advanced to compete in the Goodall Cup playoff series.

Standings

Team
Newcastle North Stars	20	15	2	2	0	1	93	50	+43	51
Western Sydney Ice Dogs	20	11	0	0	2	7	92	71	+21	35
Sydney Bears	20	8	1	1	4	6	68	71	-3	31
Adelaide Avalanche	20	7	1	1	2	9	64	68	-4	29
Melbourne Ice	20	5	1	2	0	12	53	71	-18	20
Canberra Knights	20	3	1	2	0	14	53	109	-56	14

Statistics

Scoring leaders

List shows the ten top skaters sorted by points, then goals. Current as of 5 September 2004

Player	Team
	Western Sydney Ice Dogs	17	20	21	41	14	F
	Newcastle North Stars	17	19	19	38	51	F
	Western Sydney Ice Dogs	18	17	21	38	18	F
	Adelaide Avalanche	17	12	18	30	40	C
	Newcastle North Stars	19	16	11	27	46	F
	Adelaide Avalanche	17	16	10	26	110	C
	Western Sydney Ice Dogs	19	15	11	26	20	F
	Newcastle North Stars	19	12	14	26	26	C
	Sydney Bears	17	11	13	24	12	F
	Newcastle North Stars	18	10	14	24	62	D

Leading goaltenders

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage with a minimum 40% of the team's ice time. Current as of 5 September 2004

Player	Team
	Newcastle North Stars	778	488	39	3.15	0.920	0
	Sydney Bears	728	493	59	3.54	0.880	0
	Adelaide Avalanche	632	405	49	5.54	0.879	0
	Western Sydney Ice Dogs	272	134	18	4.06	0.866	0
	Melbourne Ice	725	466	65	3.53	0.861	0

Goodall Cup playoffs

The 2004 playoffs was scheduled for 4 September with the Goodall Cup final held on 5 September 2004. Following the end of the regular season the top four teams advanced to the playoff series which was held at the Erina Ice Arena in the Central Coast, New South Wales region. The series was a single game elimination with the two winning semi-finalists advancing to the Goodall Cup final. The Goodall Cup was won by Western Sydney Ice Dogs who defeated the Newcastle North Stars 3–1 in the final.

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