At the Queenstown Ice Arena last weekend, the SkyCity Stampede ice hockey team not only booked their spot in the 2024 New Zealand Ice Hockey League finals, but ensured the home-crowd advantage.
Demolishing the Phoenix Thunder 12-2 on Friday — and repeating the score on Saturday — the results put them in pole position to defend their crown.
Coach Cam Frear pays particular credit to import Nolan Ross, Lachie Frear and Colin McIntosh, all of whom scored five goals over the weekend, while Josh Hurley, who scored twice on Saturday, was also "huge".
While Frear’s also pretty happy with the way the side played, he’s under no illusion about the test awaiting them in Queenstown come September 6, 7 and, if needed, 8.
"We know that the finals aren’t going to be games like that, so we need to work pretty hard in these last three weeks of trainings."
The Stampede now has till the finals to rest, recover and ready themselves, but Botany Swarm and the West Auckland Admirals, in second and third place, respectively, will face each other next weekend to determine who we’ll battle for the Birgel Cup.
"We know we’re tough to beat at home, no matter who the opposition is, so we just need to focus on ... piecing together twogood games of hockey, back-to-back, and hopefully being able to lift the Birgel Cup at the end of it."
