Black Sticks striker Sam Lane drilled four goals to help carry the Alpiners to a 7-4 victory in the men’s final of the inaugural Premier Hockey League in Auckland on Saturday.
The Falcons, who represent the lower North Island, put up an epic fight in what was an exciting finish.
They fought back from 2-0 down to lead 4-2 in the third quarter.
Veteran Black Sticks and Otago defender Blair Tarrant levelled the score with a brace of goals and the South Islanders pulled away to win.
"We’re pretty stoked to have got the job done," Tarrant said.
"The pressure was on us because we had the best team and it was pretty cool we got it done in the end.
"I think the league was really good and kind of exactly what we need in terms of development.
"I thought the level of hockey was really good and at times it could have been better and showed why we need it."
Lane was the star.
He scored twice in the first 15 minutes and sealed the win with a third goal in the final few moments of the match.
He added a conversion to complete his four-goal haul.
The game was in the balance for a long time, though.
Otago’s Kane Russell set up the opener. He flicked the ball 80m in the air to Gus Nelson, who brought the ball under control just outside the circle and got a neat pass to Lane to finish.
The second came from a stray pass which was picked off by Nicholas Lidstone and Lane slapped it in.
Falcons keeper Dom Dixon denied Lane’s conversion again. The Alpiners could have been up 4-0, but Dixon was dynamic in goal.
The Falcons replied a minute later. Patrick Madder jigged around a few defenders but his shot was parried away only for Sam Hiha to pounce on the rebound and knock it in.
Falcons captain Dylan Thomas drilled a shot into the corner late in the second quarter and added the conversion from a tight angle to give his side a 3-2 lead.
He slotted a penalty corner in the third period to extend the lead and collect a hat-trick.
The Alpiners had been the form team through the round-robin but they were suddenly having to play catch-up.
Tarrant slapped in a rebound following a goal mouth scramble. The defender does not get many but he had pushed forward for a penalty corner which he converted rather easily to level the score.
"It felt pretty good to get one past Dom, who is a good mate of mine. It was also important at the time to get back into the game.
"Often you play a final and it can be a really boring game. But this was probably the most exciting game of the competition.
"They came out with some good tactics to try and hurt our press and they played with some good courage which made it an interesting game."
George Baker scored moments after Tarrant. Lane had driven to the edge the circle to help set up the goal.
Lane added to the 5-4 lead with a sharp reverse stick shot late in the match. The conversion made it 7-4.
The Alpiners women beat the Mavericks 6-1 in the bronze medal match.
Jenna-Rae McIntyre drilled a hat-trick.
In the women’s final, the Falcons demonstrated their dominance, defeating the home team, the Tridents, with a solid 5-1 victory.
The Tridents beat the Mavericks 4-3 in the men’s bronze medal game.
