The Thunder posted back-to-back wins over the Botany Swarm in Dunedin last weekend, while the Stampede was able to leave Auckland on a winning note after turning around a 4-1 loss to return home a 5-3 victor in the second of its two matches against West Auckland.
The Otago sides will clash in the next round of the New Zealand Ice Hockey League when they play a double header on Friday and Saturday at Queenstown Ice Arena.
The Thunder will need to lift to be competitive against the Stampede, which sits second on the competition ladder.
The Thunder came out blazing in its first match on Saturday, downing the Swarm 6-1 in a performance that pleased coach Matt Hladun.
``It was a good effort and everyone played well and everyone did what they needed to do,'' he said
That performance, however, did not simply roll into the next game against the Swarm when the Thunder returned to the Dunedin ice on Sunday afternoon.
The home team started slowly before winding into the game late and saving a win by levelling with the Swarm and sending the match to a shootout.
``It just seemed like we came out flat in various parts of each period - it has been a recurring issue for the team.
``I think the game got better as it went on, but it was sure a slow start.
``Luckily we held in there for most of the game to give us the opportunity to stay in it and come back at the last point and the shootout went in our favour.''
Hladun's message to his team heading into the all-Otago double header at Queenstown this weekend is simple.
``The message to the guys is we can't continue to come out so slow in the second game.''
The Stampede went about its double-header against West Auckland in completely different fashion.
The visitors were downed by the table-topping Admirals 4-1, but quickly turned that performance around with a 5-3 win over the West Aucklanders.
The win handed the Admirals their first defeat of the season, taking their record to seven wins and one loss, compared to the Stampede's six wins and two losses.
Both Friday and Saturday's matches between the Stampede and the Thunder start at 7pm in Queenstown.
