Crushed. Squashed. Trampled. However you put it, the Southern Stampede was definitely left feeling a little flat after it was humbled 13-2 by the Dunedin Thunder in Queenstown on Saturday.
The Stampede reached the final last season and won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006.
But this season it has struggled for consistency and finds itself at the bottom of the competition table with one round remaining.
The Thunder, however, was revelling in its greatest day.
The expansion team won just two games in its first two years in the league.
But in its third season it has emerged as a much tougher opponent, scoring upset wins against the Canterbury Red Devils and Botany Swarm.
Coach James van Leeuwen said his side had one of those days on the ice where everything went to plan.
"We got on top of them and got into their heads real early," van Leeuwen said.
"Once we got on top they just fell apart and were dumping the puck left, right and centre. They panicked."
The result was a surprise turnaround in form, with the Stampede winning 7-4 and 6-2 in Dunedin earlier in the year.
The Thunder started well, taking a 4-1 lead into the first break.
But it was the second period which proved decisive.
The visitors scored seven goals to one to take an 11-2 lead into the final period.
French import Quentin Pepy and experienced forward Stephen Vlok scored four goals apiece, English forward Mat Enright scored two goals and Matthew Weir, Paris Heyd and Simon Christos also got on the score card.
The teams played again last night, when van Leeuwen expected a tighter encounter.
