The Thunder completed another double-header win in Queenstown on Saturday night, beating the Stampede 6-3 to back up Friday's 4-2 triumph.
It was the first time the Thunder had beaten its Otago rival in a double-header, and was a record fourth straight win in the national league for the Dunedin side.
The "Green Machine" has now matched its record points tally, 18, with only half the season gone.
There is still plenty of hockey to be played but the Thunder can have legitimate hopes of pushing on to finish in the top two of the competition and make the finals for the first time.
Finnish import Joni Nukari was the individual star of Saturday's game, scoring four goals. Hassan Saeed and Jussi Vahamaa also got the puck in the net.
The Thunder led 2-1 after the first period and 5-1 after the second. Brian Horwitz, Nick Fabbri and Conor Harrison scored for the Stampede.
Dane Dunlop, Mike Morrison, Cam Frear and Paris Heyd got the Thunder's goals on Friday night. Frear was particularly pleased to score against his brothers' team.
Joel Cleroux and Tommy Zizian scored for the Stampede, which out-shot the Thunder 37-22 but struggled to find ways past Dunedin goaltender Rick Parry.
Being a Southern derby, there were a few moments of tension on the ice. A three-on-three fight in the opening game led to Saeed (Thunder) and Lachlan Frear (Stampede) each spending 10 minutes in the penalty box for misconduct.
The Thunder's next double-header is against the Admirals, in Auckland on Friday and Saturday.
The Stampede heads to Australia for the inaugural transtasman championship, before returning to host the Canterbury Red Devils on July 13-14.
