The Stampede and the Swarm have made a break in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League.
Both the defending champion Stampede and the Auckland-based Swarm are unbeaten — both with five wins and one overtime win — and tied on 17 points at the top of the league.
They are 10 points clear of the West Auckland Admirals, who have two games in hand, while the winless Canterbury Red Devils (one point) and Dunedin Thunder (zero) are the early stragglers.
The Stampede proved unstoppable on the Queenstown ice at the weekend as they eased to 7-3 and 11-1 wins over the Red Devils.
Four goals, including two on the power play, in the first period propelled the Stampede to the 7-3 win in the opening game.
Nolan Ross and Jett McCullum each had two goals for the home side, while Jordan Challis added three assists and Lachlan Frear and Colin McIntosh each had two assists.
The Stampede took complete control of game two by charging to a 4-1 lead after the first period and an 8-1 advantage after the second.
Their strength across the squad was highlighted by the fact their first seven goals came from seven different scorers.
Frear, Ross and Connor Harrison finished with two goals each, and both Callum Burns and Dylan Devlin chipped in with three assists.
Stampede goalie Aston Brookes had 46 saves from 47 shots in game two.
In Dunedin, the Swarm played consistent ice hockey to post 6-3 and 5-2 wins over the Thunder.
Billy Sheard gave the home side the lead in game one before the Swarm scored six unanswered goals.
Ian Audas and Jackson Flight got consolation goals for the Thunder.
It was a not-dissimilar story a day later.
Ryan Wonfor gave the Thunder a 1-0 lead on the power play before the Swarm scored the next four goals.
Cole Beckstead gave the Thunder a sniff of a comeback with a goal in the final period before the Swarm cashed in once more.
The stage is set for an intriguing clash between the Swarm and the Stampede in Auckland this weekend.
The Thunder have the weekend off before heading north to play the Admirals.
