Brisbane Lightning

The Brisbane Lightning was founded on 13 February 2022.[1] The Lightning was born out of a joint venture between Ice Hockey Queensland (IHQ) and the Brisbane Buccaneers and Southern Stars, following IHQ pulling support from the Brisbane Rampage.[1] The joint venture's goal was to establish a top-level ice hockey team in Brisbane and obtain an Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) licence.[1] On 28 February 2022, the Lightning secured an AIHL licence, and would enter the league in the 2023 season.[2] In 2022, Brisbane would setup the organisation, hire back and front office staff, form a playing roster and play a number of exhibition games against AIHL teams.

After securing their AIHL licence in February 2022, Brisbane announced the appointment of their inaugural head coach on 9 March 2022. Terry Kiliwnik was named along with his assistant coach Ivan Rapchuk.[3] Kiliwnik joined the new team with a wealth of junior coaching experience with Queensland and had most recently been the head coach of the Brisbane Goannas in the Australian Women's Ice Hockey League (AWIHL).[4] Rapchuk also joined with a wealth of Queensland junior hockey coaching experience.[5] The following day the yet unnamed team officially launched their new name, Brisbane Lightning and confirmed exhibition matches would be held in 2022 with AIHL opposition.[6] On 14 March 2022, the team unveiled its logo and colours that had been designed by P27 Motion Design.[7] The logo features the team name Brisbane Lightning and a stylised Story Bridge in front of a background of the Brisbane CBD and a bolt of lightning. The teams colours would be black, grey and white, similar to the LA Kings.[8] In April 2022, the Lightning announced their maiden playing roster. The roster included two players, Damian Bright and Thomas Kiliwnik, moving from rival AIHL teams, Melbourne Mustangs and Newcastle Northstars respectively. Five players named had already been announced for the Rampage for 2022 and Matthew Johnson was the only selected player to have played for the previous AIHL Queensland team Gold Coast Blue Tongues.[9] On 9 April 2022, the AIHL released its updated season schedule and the Lightning confirmed it would participate in 15 exhibition games in 2022.[10] Beginning late April and running through to late August, Brisbane would face-off home and away against six teams, including: Northstars, Ice Dogs, Bears, Mustangs, Rhinos and Brave.[11]

The Lightning announced its inaugural on-ice leadership team on 23 April 2022. Experienced AIHL defenceman, Damian Bright, was named lightning's first captain with Dylan Kendrick and Eric Speedie will serving as alternate captains.[12]

Boondall was the setting for the Lightning's first ever game on 23 April 2022. Brisbane played the visiting Melbourne Mustangs in front of a sell out crowd.[13] The home team controlled the game and led at every interval. In the first period the Lightning finished 3-0 ahead. Eric Speedie scored the first ever Brisbane Lightning goal. In the second period Brisbane added to their tally with another goal to lead 4-0. The third period proved a closer encounter with the Mustangs registering a goal but the Lightning did not let up and posted two goals themselves to win the game 6-1.[14]

Team roster for the 2022 AIHL season[9]

2022 Exhibition Lightning Roster

#	Nat	Name	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
		Antoine Aubin	F	L	29	2022	Canada
		Damian Bright (C)	D	L	34	2022	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
		Lachlan Clifford	W		19	2022	Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
		Will Clifford	F		20	2022	Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
		Onrii Dalgity	D		17	2022	Australia
		Josh Derko	W	L	28	2022	Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
		James Dobrowolski	W	L	32	2022	Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
		Julian Fodor	F	R	21	2022	Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
		Alexandre Gracia	F	R	21	2022	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
		Steve Harris	G			2022
		Geoff Hatch	F			2022
		Alexander Higgins	D			2022	Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
		Jay Hodgson	D			2022
		Matthew Johnson	F	R	30	2022	Australia
		Dylan Kendrick (A)	F	L	30	2022	Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
		Thomas Kiliwnik	D	R	21	2022	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
		Josh Labrie	F			2022	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
		Eamon McKay	F	L	44	2022	Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
		Cameron Miller	G			2022	Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
		Grady Perlin	D		22	2022	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
		Arum Rapchuk	W	L	19	2022	Australia
		Sacha Rapchuk	F		17	2022	Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
		Sean Savage	D			2022
		Vesa Silvennoinen	F			2022	Turku, Finland
		Jordan Smith	F			2022
		Eric Speedie (A)	F		36	2022	Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
		Reino Uusi-Hakimo	F	R	28	2022	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

The Lightning have had a total of one captain in the team's history.

No.	Name	Term
1	Damian Bright	2022–Present

References:[12]

Brisbane have had a total of one head coach in the team's history.

No.	Name	Term
1	Terry Kiliwnik	2022–Present

References:[3][4]