Melbourne Mastiffs beat Adelaide 7–1 in the AIHL on 15 August 2026. The hosts dominated from the first shift and never looked back. Adelaide had no answer to the pressure and were outplayed in every zone.
Melbourne came out sharp and took control early. They worked the puck with purpose and created chances at will. Adelaide's defence struggled to clear their lines and the scoreboard told the story. By then the visitors were already three goals down.
The result puts Melbourne further clear at second place. They have 21 wins from 30 games and are closing in on a deal for home-ice advantage. Adelaide sit bottom of the table with just four victories. The gap between them is now hard to bridge.
Melbourne's recent form has been steady. They beat Perth 6–0 on 9 August before edging them 4–3 the day before. Adelaide had a different run — two heavy defeats to Brisbane followed by a 5–1 win over Sydney. That victory brought them together early, but it did not change the bigger picture.
Seven goals against one side is not a surprise when the other team is this far ahead. The Mastiffs can raise the tempo when they need to and they did exactly that here. Adelaide will need to find something new if they want to climb out of the cellar.