2000 AIHL season

The maiden regular season featured all three founding teams, Adelaide Avalanche, Canberra Knights and the Sydney Bears, playing in a round-robin format. The top two teams at the conclusion of the regular season would qualify to play a single head-to-head final.^[1]

Following the regular season the Avalanche and the Bears competed in the single game final held at Macquarie Ice Rink. Adelaide won the game 6–5 in a shootout after coming from two goals behind late in the third period to level the match in regulation time. The Bears controlled the match in the first two periods before a controversial five minute major penalty late in the game to the Bears saw Adelaide pull goaltender Eric Lien and score two power play goals.^[2]