Australian Ice Hockey League: Newcastle Northstars refuse to give in, but narrowly lose national final to Canberra Brave

An opportunity to claim the club's seventh Goodall Cup as the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) returned from a two-year COVID hiatus and before various players potentially go their separate ways.

And while they ultimately fell short of that dream, defeated 3-2 by Canberra in Sunday's grand final in Melbourne, the Northstars gave it an almighty shake.

Newcastle, lining up for a third play-off game in as many days, refused to give up until the final whistle with departing veteran Robert Malloy scoring inside the last 10 seconds.

Not only reducing the margin to one and giving his side an outside chance of taking the decider to overtime, but turning around a 6-1 loss to the same Brave opposition around 48 hours earlier at the start of the finals series.

It was a point not lost on championship-winning Canberra coach Stu Philps.

"They were playing on adrenaline and they had a lot to play for," Philps said in a post-match interview.

"How they were able to put a performance like that together after backing up from two games is a credit to them."

Northstars stalwart and AIHL commentator Peter Lambert said the Novocastrians should be "proud" of their showing because "they fought right until the end".

Canberra netted back-to-back goals midway through the opening period before Newcastle import Francis Drolet made it 2-1 early in the second.

The Brave hit back for a two-point buffer in the third period prior to Malloy's late consolation goal.

On Saturday, Pat Nadin scored in overtime to see the Northstars beat Sydney Bears 4-3.

Ethan Hawes (rookie) and Kevin Noble (coach) received AIHL awards on Friday night.

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