New junior team takes NZ title

The victorious Junior Stampede side celebrates at the Dunedin Ice Stadium at the weekend. Back row (from left): Brent Dodds (manager), Ben McKay (assistant coach), Nick Flight (co-head coach), Josh Hurley, Levi March, Heath Pankhurst, Taz Hall, Isaak Reid, Lucas Ross. Middle Row: Jakob Newell, Harrison Mills, Andy Mills (co-head coach) Jack Robbie, Stacy Wild, Ben Miller, Andrew Dodds (Captain) Charlie van Asch, Drew Kinney, Jackson Flight. Front Row: Roscoe Eade. Photo supplied.

The Stampede, whose players come from Queenstown and Alexandra - and one player from Dunedin, who has connections with Central Otago - has just won the national under-17 ice hockey league.

The team played 16 games throughout the season and scored 13 victories and three losses.

The final games were played in Dunedin last weekend.

The junior Stampede wrapped up the overall national competition when it beat Dunedin Thunder 4-3 in its first game of the weekend.

The side went on to beat Canterbury 7-4 before losing to Auckland 3-2 in what was effectively a dead rubber.

Overall, the Stampede finished with 37 competition points, five points clear of Auckland in the four-team league.

Previously the Stampede and Dunedin teams had combined into one Southern team but with more numbers playing the game a decision was made to have separate teams this year.

The side's most valuable player was goalie Drew Kinney, of Dunedin, while Andrew Dodds, of Alexandra, also had a good season.

Coach Nick Flight said the side worked together well and played well in some key games.

The national under-17 ice hockey league is aimed at developing players for the national under-18 side to attend a world championships next year.

Coaches of the four teams in the league got to know each other and all played a similar style to prepare players to play together, Flight said.

The cost to take part in the league was high at $23,000 per team but costs were kept down by players being billeted with other players when they went away.

He said this helped players get to know other players who would play in the national side.

''So win, lose or draw, the players get to know each other and we all know it is for the greater good of the national team,'' Flight said.

The game at this level was ''full checking'', as opposed to under-13 and below which was non-contact.

Flight said players had to adjust quickly to the more aggressive nature of the senior sport but it was great to see so many players take the step up.

The side would lose four players to the next age group next season so had a good core for next season.