Stampede cruise into final after toppling Thunder
One season ends but another is just a few healthy slap shots away from ending in more glory.
The Stampede emphasised southern bragging rights remain firmly in Queenstown with a pair of wins over the Dunedin Thunder in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League semifinals at the weekend.
A 7-3 win on Friday night was followed by a 9-3 tonking 24 hours later.
The Stampede, seeking a record 10th Birgel Cup,
will now await the all-Auckland semifinal between the Swarm and the Admirals this weekend.
Queenstown is a famously difficult place for visiting ice hockey teams, but the Thunder opened the semfinals in style when Chris Eaden scored inside the first 6min.
Connor Harrison equalised for the Stampede, and it remained 1-1 at the end of the first period.
Joe Orr struck on the power play just 54sec into the second period to give the Thunder another massive boost.
But the Stampede promptly lifted the tempo, firing in back-to-back goals to Nolan Ross and Max Macharg, before a Ross power play goal gave the home side a 4-2 lead heading into the final period.
When Colin McIntosh scored a hat-trick in the space of 8min, it was lights out, though Jackson Flight scored a late consolation for the Thunder.
Stampede goaltender Aston Brookes had 29 saves from 32 shots on goal, while Ross had three assists and Dylan Devlin two.
Game two was mostly close for about a period and a-half.
Ross opened the scoring for the Stampede after just 64sec, Jacob Hurring equalised for the Thunder, and McIntosh scored on the power play to give the home side a 2-1 advantage at the end of the first period.
Sebastian Stephen scored at the start and the end of the second period for the Thunder, but the Stampede flourished in the middle with goals to McIntosh (two), Jett McCullum and Lachlan Frear.
Adam Soffer, Ross and Devlin sealed the six-goal win in a testy third period.
Brookes had a busier night with 39 saves from 42 shots, while Ross, McCullum and Stefan Amston all contributed two assists.
While the Stampede are again the ones looking to claim the silverware, the Thunder can look back with pride on their season.
There is clearly a rising tide of optimism around the Dunedin ice hockey scene that will lead to success if it continues.
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