The Southern Stampede is exactly half way through the regular season of the National Ice Hockey League and after falling out of favour on the results table, the Queenstown side faces the task of must-win matches to equal last year's result of making the finals.
The shaky start to the 2011 runners-up season has never really stabilised, but coach Steve Reid says the points table is not a true reflection of his side's ability and they are more than capable of making the final in six weeks' time.
"We've competed with every team we've played.
"We've had the worst luck in the history of the team: we've had wins, we've had losses, but we need to start making our own luck."
Luck is a sore subject in the Stampede changing rooms this season as the side has suffered its fair share of injuries to key players such as goal tender Aston Brookes, Canadian import Matt Schnieder and the terribly unlucky tale of Stefan Wright, who was hit by a car during a warm up and has since gone back to Canada.
Throw in the three suspensions of Michael Weber, Brian Horwitz and Connor Harrison from the tussle with The Canterbury Red Devils and it would be easy to see why a coach could feeling down about his team.
But he isn't.
"We have eight games to play and that's a potential 24 points.
"We are a playoff team and we've just got to hope the puck drops our way."
Reid will be appealing the suspensions of Weber and Harrison and with the national league bye ideally placed last weekend, he hopes to have the two forwards back on the rink for their southern showdown against the Thunder in Dunedin this weekend.
"You could call it a fight, but it wasn't a fight.
"They're all in the one line those three boys, so we've pretty much lost a whole line right there."
Reid says he would be "disappointed" if the judiciary doesn't allow them back in and hoped to hear back tomorrow.
The Stampede picked up its pace last weekend against a very quick and noticeably more slender Canterbury side.
Game one was won only in extra time, when Weber sealed his penalty goal and in game two the Stampede was unlucky not to hold on for a second penalty shootout when the Red Devils scored a goal in the last five minutes to take the lead and the win home.
If the Gore-based coach was the type to make excuses for the side's second from the bottom placement he could draw upon the injuries, umpiring calls or the fact the Stampede hasn't had a bye since round one.
But he isn't that sort of coach either.
"I guess we need to play out of the penalty box and stay healthy from here in."
Reid is drawing positive points from Shneider's return to the ice this week, which he says will be a "huge boost" to the team's confidence.
"He's been skating in a coach/player capacity and he's looking sharp.
"The boys are really excited to have him back in the side."
Reid is also drawing on the fact his side will have the upper hand over the table-topping Thunder this weekend, after the Dunedin side had double defeats to the Admirals.
The matches were played two weeks ago, which Reid says will also work in the Stampede's favour.
"The Thunder made some good inroads early in the season, but in saying that they have dropped a couple of games of late and they'll be hurting from that."
Despite appearances, he says the Stampede is not resting on its laurels.
It is a side to beat and Reid is predicting a South Island race to the finish between his side, the Thunder and the Red Devils for just two playoff spots.
National Ice Hockey League
Points Table
| Played | Wins | OT wins | OT losses | Losses | Goal diff | Points | |
| Thunder | 10 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 19 |
| Admirals | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 15 |
| Red Devils | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 15 |
| Stampede | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -3 | 8 |
| Swarm | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | -14 | 6 |
Southern Stampede's road to the final
July 28 & 29: vs Thunder in Dunedin
August 10 & 11: vs Swarm at home
August 18 & 19: vs Admirals in Auckland
August 25 & 26: vs Red Devils in Christchurch
September 8 or 9: Finals
