As the Australian Ice Hockey League season approaches the halfway mark, all teams break this weekend for the second annual AIHL All-Star fixture. Perththunder.com.au will this week take a look at each of the Thunder’s four All-Star representatives.
For the second time in as many years, Perth Thunder defenceman Rob Haselhurst will don an All-Star jersey as a member of Team Armstrong in the 2016 AIHL All-Star game.
Haselhurst will be looking to defend his title as the Australian Ice Hockey League's fastest skater, a title he gained at the 2015 All-Star weekend, when he takes the ice this weekend.
2016 has been an eventful year for Haselhurst, travelling as part of the Gold Medal-winning Australian Mighty Roos squad to Mexico City for the IIHF World Championships in April before continuing his role as a dynamic defenceman for the Thunder.
Haselhurst ranks third among Thunder defencemen in points, and his speed consistently causes problems for the opposition, and his skill and hitting prowess have seen him selected again for the All-Star game.
The All-Star weekend is this Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12, at Penrith Ice Palace, west of Sydney. Saturday will be comprised of the skills competitions, while Sunday will stage the All-Star game between Team Schlamp and Team Armstrong. Below is a highlights package from the 2015 All-Star event, and while the 2016 event isn’t televised live, a 90-minute special presentation will air on Fox Sports on Thursday, June 16 (check your local guide for times).